What Happens In Vegas does Not Stay in Vegas
by Guarding My Castle
Summary: Castle is having a book release party. Nikki Heat is there with him. It just seems that no matter how hard they try to get away, murders just follow these two around
1. Chapter 1

**I own nothing except the computer where I wrote this story. **

**ABC, MARLOW, DISNEY,etal  
They get to keep all the good stuff. That is actually fine with me because the stories they tell are much better than mine.  
OK This story does not follow the show at all. As I said in my bio, I like to drive down different roads than the TV program. Gives me more flexibility to dream up stuff. **  
**For my readers: I plan the angst in this story to hopefully be fun**

* * *

CHAPTER 1

Detective Beckett looks up from her desk in the 12th when she hears the familiar sound of the elevator bell. She sees Richard Castle exiting thru the elevator doors. He walks briskly toward her desk carrying two cups, one in each hand. He starts to set one cup of steaming hot coffee down on the desk near the detective's arm,

"Good morning detective" There is almost singing in his words

With a smirk on her face, detective Beckett looks over to Castle and comments with an accusatory tone "Really?"

"What?"

"Loose the 'I just got laid voice'!"

"What do you mean?" he responds innocently

"Oh! Don't try to deny it. I'm a trained detective"

"OK. Then I won't"

"OH! So you're not denying it?"

"You just told me not to." Then in a whisper "Anyway, if anyone knows all the facts about who just got laid, it's you"

Beckett blushes then pokes him gently in the arm "Castle. Shush! You're going to get us both in trouble"

"Hey! You're the one who started this. Not me"

Before Castle can to let go of the cup, Beckett reaches over, wrapping her fingers around his for a brief moment before he releases his grip. She smiles at him and he cannot help but to smile back. To these two, this is his good morning kiss to her each day since he started following her over four years ago. Only now he gets to give her real kisses. Just not here at the station.

No matter how long these two have known each other. No matter how many times he has brought coffee to her. No matter how many smiles she has given to him, it is always fresh, warm, and makes him happy and today is no exception.

Beckett returns her attention to the tasks on her desk.

"Kate, how would you feel about a little road trip?"

"Road Trip? What do you mean? Road trip? When? Where?"

"When, is next weekend and the where is Las Vegas"

"Las Vegas? What is this about?"

"Paula called me after you left this morning. She has set me up to do a book signing at the Western Grand Hotel on the strip to coincide with the release of the latest book and they all want me to bring 'Nikki Heat' so everyone can meet you"

Beckett looks at Castle with a questioning look on her face. "Rick, I can't take off work and even if I could, this would look really funny to everyone around us that you an I took off to Vegas. Together!"

"Look, Kate, Paula worked it all out already. The mayor is on board and has convinced the commissioner to give you time off. Anyway, you are the model for Nikki and everyone is aware of that. So it really just would make sense that they want you to go represent the department".

"Castle, don't you think that this is going to send up all kinds of red flags if you and I go there together?"

"Kate, the mayor and police commissioner both think that we have been together for over three years anyway. Ever since that first book came out, they really believe that I was telling the story of you and me this entire time. Including all the intimate details"

Beckett lowers her voice to attempt to keep the information away from the two other detectives sitting close by. "WOW! So we really get to go to Vegas? Together?"

"Yes we do"

"Great! Can I borrow your credit card so I can go shopping and gamble?"

"Let me think about that for a minute. There is this one little shop off the strip that sells lingerie. They advertise 'Items For Women With Their Man in Mind'. We could go there and pick something up"

"How do you know about that shop?" he gets another poke. "Anyway, I thought you preferred me with nothing on?"

"You know, it's getting hot in here. We'll talk about that later, too." Castle's eyes are becoming dilated with this conversation.

"Hey, you got any good homicides?" Castle continues trying to get his mind off the beautiful, teasing woman sitting next to him.

"Nothing right now. Totally quiet. Sorry"

"Oh, well. I need to go to a meeting at my publisher anyway. I was hoping that you could distract me from that."

"Oh! So the only way I can distract you is to have a murder for us to work on?"

"No, wait, that didn't come out right. Did it?"

Kate laughs at his failed attempt to dig his way out of the hole his mouth just put him into.

"Well, call me if someone drops off a building or gets run over by a train"

"OK. Have fun fighting with Paula"

Rick gives Kate a smirk as we walks over to the elevator and gets in.

Kate just smiles back while she watches him until the doors close.

All the while, detectives Ryan and Esposito are sitting watching these two carry on like no one knows what is going on between them.

"How long are they going to pretend that they don't have feelings for each other" Ryan starts up

"I wish I knew" Esposito replies "If they only knew how long we have all wanted for them to connect? They are perfect for each other. They love each other. Everyone can see it. Why don't they? Why don't they just do it?"

Ryan and Esposito go back to their paperwork. After a very few minutes Kevin's phone rings "Ryan! Ok! Give me the address. Got it! We're on our way"


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Ryan stands up, turns to the others. "We got a good one. Someone fell from a building, or was pushed, and was then run over by a train. Pretty messy they tell me."

Beckett looks at Ryan "Fell from a building and was hit by a train? Castle will hate that he missed this one. Too bad"

"Oh! Come on Beckett! Call him. Let him try to figure this one out. If you don't, he might not ever forgive you." Ryan jabs

Kate has many weapons in her tool belt that she can use to get forgiveness from Richard Castle. However, none of them will she let these two know about. She picks up her cell phone and calls Rick. When the phone picks up, she hears.

"Hello! You have reached the world famous mystery writer, author, story teller, crime solver, and lover of Katherine Beckett. Please speak now or forever hold your peace."

In an exasperated voice Beckett says into the phone so no one else can hear "Castle, what if it were someone else calling you on my phone?"

"OH Sorry, Kate. I didn't think about that. Did we get a case?

"Yes, a possible homicide"

"Oh, Good! Did someone get pushed off a building or thrown in front of a train?"

"Both"

"OH! WOW! Can you take me or do I need to meet you at the scene?"

"Meet me in my car"

"I am on my way back there"

Castle goes to the garage where he finds Beckett waiting in her cruiser. He gets into the passenger side. Without looking around the garage he leans over to put a kiss on one detective Kate Beckett's lips.

"It's been too long since I did that" is the first words out of his mouth

"It's only been two hours"

"Yeah, like I said. Too long"

"OK, we better get going or the boys will wonder what took us so long." As she puts the car in gear and heads out the drive, she sees that one of the uniformed officers has been standing next to his unit looking right at them. He is grinning like a Cheshire cat. As they drive past him, he waves and shakes his head. Oops. They may have just been busted. Only time will tell.

They proceed to the location of the body. Lanie is knelt down over the victim with her notebook in hand

"Lanie, what do we have?" Kate asks while she is still walking toward the medical examiner

"White Male approximately twenty-five. Well groomed, short hair. Casual clothes. We have his wallet with his cash and credit cards. Watch and rings are here, so it's not a robbery"

"So did someone just throw him off the building?" Rick asks

"Not real sure what is happening"

Ryan and Esposito are talking to the crime scene unit. Looking up they determine that the victim could not have fallen from an upper floor. The windows do not open. The body came from the roof. They are doing measurements on height to the roof, distance from building to body to determine if the person jumped or was thrown or shoved off the building. Based on the distance from the building to the location where the victim ended up, it appears that the person must have fallen.

Lanie stands up with note pad in hand and walks over to Beckett and Castle. "Well, the victim has a wound on the back of his head inconsistent with the fall. I will know more when I get him back to the lab"

"So, the train didn't cause the wound?"

"No, the victim was hit by the train around mid torso. Not the head. The marks left by the front of the train are clearly on the middle section of the body. I think that the train collision was just by accident."

Castle is obviously writing some crazy conspiracy in his head where the train was scheduled to be there exactly at the right moment to kill the man who was still alive when he was thrown off the building.

"Lanie, are you sure? The train scheduled conspiracy is more fun to write. I could involve the engineer, the conductor, the dispatcher, the switch operator the…."

Beckett looks over at the crazed writer "Sorry, Castle. No giant conspiracy going on here. Just some poor dead guy. Fell or was pushed from a building then hit by a train"

Beckett, looking over to Ryan and Esposito says "Guys, go up on the roof and see if there is any evidence associated with the victim up there."

While the two detectives head for the roof, Castle and Beckett return to their earlier discussion about going to Vegas.

"Castle, as much as I would like to, I can't just walk into Gate's office and ask to leave and go with you to Vegas"

"Well, there is going to be a phone call from the commissioner's office to Gates later today ordering you to go. The department is giving you time off to promote the city. That is the official story. It is no secret, you are Nikki Heat. Everyone knows that. So when Paula calls and requests you be allowed to travel to Vegas for the press party, the mayor and police department are happy to oblige. Problem solved"

Kate has a tiny smile appear on her face. She actually is very excited about this. She has been a workaholic ever since her mother's death. This is going to be the first real vacation for her. And it is going to include traveling with one very eligible mystery writer. Well, more accurately not eligible anymore. She is really starting to look forward to this

Castle looks at his watch. "Well, I need to go ahead and go over to Paula's office. I've got to get this meeting out of the way".

"What's the meeting about, anyway?"

We are discussing the details on the Vegas promotion. There is a press release, book signing, and television interviews. All the usual stuff that goes along with having a book published. You remember the first one of my press parties you came to?

"Oh, yes! I remember very well! I believe I walked in while you were signing your name on some girl's left boob, if my memory serves me correctly. Then you asked me where did I want it? Is that the party you were referring to?"

"NO! Not that one! I was thinking of the 'Heat Wave' release party. The one where you wore that blue backless Hervé Leger mini dress and I almost passed out when you walked into the room."

"OH! That party." Beckett smiles remembering that it was her goal to take his breath away. It evidently worked quite well "So do I need to find something similar for this party, since we will be in Vegas?"

"Well, honestly Paula hates the competition, so no. I'm afraid not. Anyway we have a couple of days to go find you a dress." Looking at his watch again. Speaking of Paula, I still have to go over there and I can't keep putting her off, so I'll call you later"

Castle steps out into the street, hails a cab, gets in, and heads over to see Paula.

Unbeknownst to either Beckett or Castle, Dr. Parish had overheard much of this conversation.

"So! Are these two much closer than anyone of us knew" Lanie is thinking "Going to Vegas together are they? Well I must get with Kevin and Javi and discuss this little turn of events"


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Later that afternoon, Dr. Parish is standing over her autopsy table working on the latest victim when detective Beckett enters and walks up to the medical examiner "Hey, Lanie got anything new on our vic?"

"Not a lot more than I had earlier. His name on his driver's license is Kenneth Hodges, 23 lives in Queens. I gave the rest of the contents from his wallet to Javi. He's following up on the credit cards."

"So, does it look like an accident or murder?"

"Definitely, murder. He has a large wound in the back of his head. It is a very odd wound though"

"How So?"

"It's round and deep. It looks like it was caused by a cannon ball except it appears to have some type of a pattern. There are penetrating marks inside the wound track."

"What kind of marks?"

"I'm not real sure. I took some digital pictures and am trying to get the tech guys to clean up and get me some details. They tell me it will be sometime late tomorrow at the earliest, before they can render a good picture for comparison."

"OK. Great! Anything else?"

"Yeah there is! When were you going to tell me about your little tryst to Vegas?"

"UH! What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"You know full well, what I am talking about! You and Castle! Little romantic getaway to Sin City"

"Lanie! I don't know who told you what, or what you think you heard, but Rick's publisher has set up a release party and book signing for Rick in Vegas. Paula, his publishing agent is trying to get me to come too. I told Rick that I can't afford take off work. But Paula is trying to work out something with the commissioner. Nothing is definite yet."

Lanie notices that Kate called him Rick and not Castle "So, it not a little week end romantic getaway with just you and writer boy?"

"NO, Lanie! I don't know why you would think that we would be doing something like that?"

"OH! No particular reason other than Richard Castle is crazy in love with you, and you have been fighting those same feelings you have for him for years. That's all!"

"Lanie! Give it a rest. Even if Castle and I were to go out with each other, Gates would fire me, throw him out, or put me back into a patrol car. The department rules about coworkers dating and she would use it to separate us"

"OK! I see you have thought this thru. So, girlfriend! Are you telling me that glow I have seen in you and the sparkle in your eyes over the last several months are NOT being brought on by some late night story meetings with one well known mystery writer?"

Kate drops her head and a little blush appears on her cheeks and chokes out an "UH! NO?"

"OH my gosh! You have gone way past being his muse now, haven't you?"

"Lanie! PLEASE! I can't have him booted." Kate responds with a touch of fear in her voice

"How long has this been going on?"

"We got together during my suspension. He helped me find Maddox" Kate gets a far away look in her eyes. "Lanie, he makes me feel safe. I feel warm inside when I'm with him. I honestly didn't know how love was supposed to feel until he wrapped me up in his arms. Lanie, I just want him so badly now. I know I must sound crazy after all the times I pushed him away"

"No Kate. It's called love. And everyone knows that you two are in love. We've all seen it for years. We couldn't understand why you two kept apart for so long"

Beckett just smiles at her best friend "And please don't say anything to the boys. I don't want Gates to get wind of this before she has to. I know she will sooner or later. I just want it to be later"

"OK you secret's safe with me. So, tell me all about this Vegas trip"

"Like I said, there is a book release party and his publisher and agents all want me there. But at this moment I have a murder to solve right here"

"OK! You know the boys can handle the case. But, who knows. You may have it finished before the two of you go traipsing across the desert together"

Kate gives Lanie a girly grin "We'll see. Keep me informed"

"Gotcha girl. Mum's the word"

Back at the precinct, Ryan and Esposito are digging into the background of the victim. When Beckett returns they bring her up to date on what they found so far

"Our victim was a teller at New Amsterdam Bank and trust. He has been there for two years". Esposito reports

Ryan continues "he had just finished at junior college with an associate's degree. He has enrolled at New York University to start in the fall. He was going for a bachelor's in computer science. They said he was a whiz kid with the machines. Whenever they had computer problems, they called him instead of the bank's help desk."

"What about friends? Did he have a girlfriend? Close guy friends?"

"The bank manager said he was friendly, but reserved. Quiet Never talked mush about his life outside the teller cage" Javi explained

"OK! Let's talk to his coworkers, neighbors. See if anyone knew him and if he had friends."

"Also have we found any family yet?"

Esposito answers "We haven't found any so far, but we are still looking"

"OK! Let's get some uniforms to canvas the area around his work and home."

"Got it boss" Ryan answers as he and Esposito head out toward the elevator

As Beckett starts to sit down at her desk, she hears the captain's voice "Detective Beckett! May I see you in my office?"

"Yes Sir" Beckett walks into Gate's office. She knows what is getting ready to happen, but she is still not sure what to say.

"Detective, the commissioner's office just called with orders for you"

"Sir?"

"It seems that Mr. Castle has convinced the powers to be downtown that you should travel with him on a little book tour"

Trying to play as innocent as possible Beckett responds "I'm sorry, sir! Book Tour?"

"Yes detective. The mayor has decided that you are being given paid leave to attend Mr. Castle's book release party representing the city of New York. As if you didn't already know"

"Well, sir. Castle mentioned it to me in the bull pin just this morning that he was going on this signing, but I had no part in arranging it so I don't know what to say"

"Based upon the way it was presented to me, neither you nor I have much we can say. We will just follow orders"

"Very well, sir" Beckett is not convinced that the captain believes her side of the story. All she can do right now is to follow what she was told and go back to finding the killer.

"All right detective. So! Your current case! Any leads?"

"No sir, not yet. The boys are out doing a canvas right now. Based on current information, we don't even have known associates or friends for the victim"

"OK I hope that we have some closure on this case before you leave. Keep me informed. Dismissed"

Beckett returns to her desk, picks up her phone and sends a text to Castle letting him know that the orders had been delivered.

Within moments he sends his response. "Gr8 Talk 2U L8R "

Becket gets that warm feeling inside that only Castle has been able to give her. She puts her phone back into her pocket. She has decided that this trip is going to be a lot of fun.

If she only knew!


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Wednesday morning finds Detective Beckett sitting on the edge of her desk staring blankly at the murder board. There is plenty of added information on the victim. He had a small group of friends that he had diner and drinks with on a regular basis. He chose not to mix business associates with pleasure. He did have a girl he was dating, just nothing serious.

Esposito enters from the elevator "Beckett, the tech guys finally broke his password protection on his computer. Other than the usual stuff, banking, investments, music and some, shall we say some interesting videos, the majority of his computer contained games."

"What kind of games"

"Some arcade type games. Some military games, but mostly medieval war games. Dungeons and dragons type stuff."

Detective Ryan walks into the bullpen talking on his phone "OK! We are on our way." He hangs up his phone and looks at the other two. "We got another one. This time a victim from the roof of a building landed on the ground in an ally down in SOHO."

"Was he thrown from the building?"

"According to 9-1-1 the caller said the victim fell to the ground about twenty feet from him as he was passing the alley. They didn't say he was thrown, just that he fell"

"This is odd. Two vics dropped from buildings? All right, let's go do our jobs and try to sort this out" Beckett says just as her phone rings. She looks at the screen. The call is from Castle. "You two go ahead. I'll be right behind you." Kate hits the answer button "Beckett!"

"Hello beautiful. You ready to go buy you some clothes so we can get packing?"

"OH, I just got another murder. I need to go check it out first. Can you give me a couple of hours?"

"Sure. Where do you want me to pick up home or the station?"

"I'll call you when I can get away and let you know, OK?"

"All right, call me when you're ready" Kate hangs up, looks at her phone and smiles. In just a very few hours, she and the love of her life will be together alone in Las Vegas for four whole days. Well, more accurately alone except for several hundred of his fans

When Beckett arrives at the scene she finds Lanie and Ryan going over notes on the victim.

"What do we have, guys?"

Lanie looks to her notes "White male, early twenties. Looks like he was hit with a thin bat or rod"

"A Rod, like a baseball bat?"

Lanie bends down and rolls the body over. Pointing toward the wound path. "No! Too small in diameter for a baseball bat. Several strikes on the back then across the neck. Possibly breaking the neck. It looks deep enough to probably have damaged the spinal cord. I will know more when I get him back to the lab"

Beckett, looking at the wounds responds "What type rod leaves these type marks?" pointing to several cuts along the weapon's path

"I am not sure yet. The size of the weapon might be nun chucks. I will let you know as soon as I know"

Ryan speaks up "It wasn't a robbery. The victim's wallet, cash and credit cards are all in tact. It doesn't look like anything is missing. His name was Roger Overbey, he's from Secaucus New Jersey"

"What was he doing in the city?"

"Javi is contacting the Jersey PD trying to find next of kin and make the notifications. Hopefully someone there can tell us what the vic was doing here"

"OK Kevin. Have uniforms canvas the area. Maybe someone heard or saw something."

"Got it, boss" Ryan heads for their cruiser where Esposito is on the phone with the New Jersey PD

Beckett returns to Lanie "what do you make of all this? It's just crazy."

"Yeah, it is.

"Lanie, get me whatever you can as soon as you can. Castle and I leave very early tomorrow morning, but I still want to be kept up to date on the progress on this case."

"Will do! And by the way Kate, remember that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, except, you will have to keep your best friend informed on all details of what happens while you are in Vegas"

"I read you." Beckett responds with a little smile on her face. She has plans for a lot of the things that will happen in Vegas WILL stay in Vegas and not be told to Lanie.

Beckett heads back to the precinct to set up a second murder board and start adding information for active case number two. When she arrives she finds one Richard Castle sitting in his usual chair playing Angry Birds on his phone. Beckett walks up and drops her bag on the desk causing Castle to jump. "Hey you made me mess up"

Beckett grins at him "Don't you have some other place you need to be right now?"

"Well, yes I do, but you need to be with me. I am not sure of sizes for your wardrobe for the trip. So I thought it would be a good idea for you to accompany me shopping."

"Oh yeah. I guess it would be better. Let me finish setting up this new board and we can go. The boys can finish it later"

"I'll be right here. Waiting!"

Beckett starts a new board. She first sets up a time line across the bottom then enters significant data such as the name, age, time and manor of death. Information on the wound.

As Beckett is entering the information, Castle has stopped playing his game and studies the two boards.

"Beckett? Do these two know each other?"

"Not that we know of. The information about known acquaintances, friends. And coworkers on the first victim did not include the name of victim number two. So as far as we know they did not know each other. Why?"

"Well. Both were thrown off a building and both were struck with unusual weapons. I mean cannon ball on one and nun chuck on the other."

Beckett's phone rings. It's Ryan "Beckett" She listens for a minute while making notes. Then responds "OK! Got it. Bye. Well the second victim works at Crazy Jim's Electronics on 64th street. He is a service technician. Does not bank at New Amsterdam bank. Lives and works nowhere near the first victim. So I guess these two murders have absolutely no connection to one another and we need to look elsewhere for a second killer"

Castle responds "Well, I guess then Kevin and Javi will have to look elsewhere. You and I have to go shopping right now. Grab your stuff. I figure you still need to pack and I know I do. So you need to tell Gates you are gone until Monday and let's hit some stores"

Beckett wants to stay to work on the case, but at the same time her heart is ready to pack up and leave so she can spend the next four days away from nosey neighbors, inquisitive coworkers and local paparazzi who have been known to follow Rick around trying to get a photograph of whoever he is involved with. A front page Ledger photo of Castle and her would definitely cause a few questions at work that she would have to answer.

* * *

As they leave the station and head into the garment district. Beckett looks over to Rick "Where are we going? I thought we were shopping for a dress for me to wear to the release party?"

"We are. I am taking you to one of my friend's studios. He is a new rising star on the fashion scene. He is just getting started and having Nikki Heat wear one of his designs will give him a jump start and at the same time you will be wearing a one of a kind dress."

Kate is getting more excited by the moment. Richard Castle is able to surprise her at every turn. Today is no different. They pull into an eclectic area of town and park in front of a fire brick building with painted glass store front windows. The sign out front says "Eduard Poteet". Beckett and Castle enter the front and are greeted by a lovely raven haired receptionist behind a plexi glass desk. "Hello Mr. Castle! Ms. Beckett! So glad to see you! Mr. Poteet is expecting you. Please go right in"

"Thanks Judy" Castle responds as he opens the door for Kate

They enter into a large work room area where several ladies are working on cutting tables with beautiful materials of all types and colors scattered around. The ladies look up. Several of the ladies speak acknowledging Castle and Beckett's presence. Kate is impressed at the dresses she sees hanging around the room. Obviously in various stages of creation. As they near the opposite side of the room, another door opens and a tall distinguished gentleman appears.

"Rick! Good to see you! And this lovely lady must be Kate"

"Yes, Claude this is my muse, girlfriend and New York's finest detective, Kate Beckett. Kate this is Claude Adams"

Beckett has a very questioning look on her face "Hi Claude? UH. Nice to meet you too? I thought the sign outside said Eduard Poteet?"

Castle and Claude both laugh "Kate, I don't think that the name Claude Adams sounds much like a fine line of ladies fashions. So I think that Eduard Poteet just sounds more, oh I don't know. More European? Don't you?"

With a little chuckle in her voice "Yeah. I guess it does. Well then Eduard. It is so nice to meet you" Beckett responds holding out her hand to shake his. Castle once said that Kate was a mystery he was never going to solve. She is now convinced that Rick has a few mysteries up his sleeve as well.

"So Rick. This is the gorgeous lady we need a dress for her to wear to a book release party?

"Yes she is! You have something for her?" Castle has already seen the dress that has been made especially for Kate

"As a mater of fact I have something right here" Eduard responds as he removes a cover from a dress hanging against the wall

Kate Beckett struggles to try to suck in air as this one of a kind dress is revealed to her.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Richard Castle is at Beckett's apartment at the ridiculous hour of 3:00 am to get to the airport by 4:00 for a 6:00 am flight to Las Vegas. He hired a car to take them so they could cuddle in the back seat during the ride to JFK. In his mind, he was just getting things warmed up for their next 4 days.

Kate was ready to load and leave. She let Castle handle that very special dress for the trip. He had even arranged some type special handling for the piece of luggage that contained the dress.

Since he was a frequent flyer, he has some perks when he flies and she is NYPD and was her credentialed neither of them had any problems clearing TSA. First class boards first and they were comfortably seated and ready to depart long before the rest of the plane had even finished boarding.

Beckett's mind returned back to when she was going to LA to follow up on the death of Mike Royce and Castle arranged for her to sit in first class. All the way to LA she was a little irritated at Castle because no matter how hard she tried, he just kept coming back to her. Sticking his nose into her business. However, on the return trip while reading Royce's letter to her she came to realize how much she had been fighting her feelings for Rick. Shoving her feelings down inside. Burying what she really wanted and deciding that she needed to open the door that had been closed to Castle since they had met.

Now, sitting next to him she has no doubt about her feelings. After take-off the hostess came around to serve them breakfast. When she walked up to their row, Castle looked up and saw a familiar face. "Well hello Rick, how are you?" came the voice from the recent past

"Oh, hi Jacinta! How are you?"

"I'm great Rick now that you are here. Hey! Are you stopping in Vegas or going on to LA, 'cause if you are stopping in Vegas, I am too. Maybe we could go somewhere and get some drinks and maybe catch up a little"

Beckett is sitting here watching this conversation very intently.

Quickly, Castle responds "Uh! Jacinta! Let me introduce you to Detective Kate Beckett. She is with the NYPD and is my model for my Nikki Heat character in my latest set of books"

"OH, great to meet you detective. Are you also stopping in Vegas too?"

Beckett is looking at this woman and wondering if this is for real. Rick JUST said I am Nikki Heat. What part of that does she not get? "Yes! We are going to Vegas for a book release party Together! They are releasing Rick's latest Nikki Heat book. You know? The book that is based on ME?"

"OH, right! Well, when we get to Vegas, you could come too, if you want"

Beckett looks at Castle wondering. Is this the woman he ran around with while he and I were disconnected? He did say she was simple and uncomplicated. I just had no idea how simple and uncomplicated any one person could be.

Taking Kate's hand and intertwining her fingers into his, Rick responds "Jacinta, Kate is my muse, my model for Nikki Heat AND most importantly, she is my girlfriend"

"OH!" as she walks away

"Well that was embarrassing" Beckett comments while looking at Rick's solid red face. "You really went out with her?"

"It wasn't my finest hour"

"No joke. So I came in second to that?" pointing back with her thumb in the direction Jacinta just went

"Kate, you are second to no one. You are so far ahead of anyone else out there. I UH…" Castle is totally lost for words. "I really don't know what to say. I will just be glad when this flight is over. Will you pass me the humble pie?"

Beckett gives Castle that smile that she knows he wants to see. That smile that tells him everything is OK and that "they" are OK.

Kate thinks that she can really become spoiled to these first class seats. Comfortable. Wide. Lots of leg room. Only problem is the attendant seems a little distant for some reason. I can't imagine why?

Both Beckett and Castle get some sleep since they were up very early to catch the flight.

After they exit the plane they head over to baggage claim for their suitcases. Castle quickly notices a man holding a sign that says "Castle". He tells Beckett to go tell the driver that they are his party. After he and Beckett get both of their bags, Castle goes over to special handling to retrieve the dress. Their driver is there ready to help load their luggage. Castle tells the driver that the dress needs to hung and he places it into the passenger compartment of the limo.

Their driver helps them into the back and they head out of the airport on their way to the hotel. The have made good time and it is only 11:00 AM when they arrive at the covered entry to the hotel.

A bellhop is there ready to assist in the unloading of the car and getting all the luggage and the dress on a cart and up to the check in counter. They enter the hotel and the bell hop takes them directly to VIP check-in. He steps back while Castle walks up to the counter. The clerk acknowledges the couple "Mr. Castle, Ms. Beckett. Welcome to the Western Grand Hotel. We have your rooms ready. Mr. Castle you are in room 1412 and Ms. Beckett you are in room 1622"

Castle looks at the desk clerk. "Excuse me? You don't have us in adjoining rooms? In fact you have us different floors?"

"Well yes Mr. Castle your agent Ms. Haas specifically requested that you be on separate floors. She said it was some type superstition"

Castle looks over at Beckett then back to the clerk "Well, Paula has a terrible sense of humor. We want a two room suite or at the very worst adjoining rooms"

"Well, I'm sorry Mr. Castle the rooms I have down here are all we have available. Is that a problem?"

"Well, not necessarily. What type beds are in these rooms?"

"Each room has a double sized bed"

"Are you telling me that I am here at this hotel for a book release party and all you give me is a double bed separate from my partner?

"I'm sorry Mr. Castle that is exactly what Ms. Haas ordered"

"OK, Fine. Give me what you have down. We'll work with it"

Castle turns to Beckett "will you look the other way while I kill my agent?"

Kate laughs. So far, everything that has happened in Vegas needs to stay in Vegas.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

The hotel manager has noticed that there seems to be a problem with a guest at the VIP counter so he steps up behind the clerk "Bob is there a problem here?"

The desk clerk is glad to see the manager come to his aid "Yes Mr. Able. Mr. Castle is not pleased with the accommodations that were ordered by Ms. Haas for him and Ms. Beckett"

"Mr. Castle? Richard Castle? The author who is here for his book release and press party? Well, let me see." He quickly looks at the computer screen "Mr. Castle there is obviously been some type of mistake. You were booked into, what even I have to admit, are our lower tier rooms. First of all, let me say how pleased we are that you choose us for your release party. We cannot have one of our most honored guests sleep in a less than suitable room. Give me just a moment and let's see what we have"

Castle looks over to Kate and smiles as the manager looks over the computer. Beckett wants to giggle, but thinks it might be considered uncouth to do so in the lobby of a five star hotel

"OK! Mr. Castle. If Ms. Beckett doesn't mind, I would like to set you up in one of the Presidential suites. This is a two bedroom unit, one for each you. There is a large living seating area with kitchenette. Would this be acceptable?"

"Very good" Castle answers quickly as he turns to Beckett"How does that sound to you Kate?"

She smiles "I can make that work. Thank you"

Castle turns back to the manager "That will make us very happy. Thanks Mr. Uh." Castle missed the manager's name when he came up to the desk

"Able. Shawn Able. And again thank you again for being with us this weekend. If you need anything! Anything at all. You just let me know" Shawn offers Castle a business card and puts his hand out to shake.

Shaking the manager's hand "Shawn, I am sure our stay will be great. And I am expecting you to be at the release party Saturday night. OK?"

"I wouldn't miss it. I will see you two then"

Castle and Beckett follow the bell hop toward the "Executive Floors" elevator. During the walk Castle is fuming about Paula's sometimes short thinking.

"I am sure she probably meant well" Kate chimes in seeing Rick was fuming

"Well, first off. She does not know you and I are together, so that explains the separate rooms. But the cheap rooms, well that is an entirely different story. The cost of the release party is shared by Black Pawn and me. Since Paula is paid a percentage of my proceeds, she will squeeze a penny until Abe Lincoln on the face is is screaming"

"OH! So are you saying Paula does not know about 'US'?"

"No, the only ones I've told are Alexis and my mother. How about you?"

"Well I told my dad the very next day" she giggles thinking about how her dad reacted. "Rick, he was ecstatic. I didn't know how much he really liked you until I told him. Then Lanie overheard us day before yesterday and she figured it out. But I told her not to tell anyone else."

"Well after this weekend, it may get out anyway. You know what? If it does, I'm ok, how about you?"

Looking up at Castle "Yeah, me too"

When they enter the elevator, the bell hop uses the room keycard the manager gave to Castle to access the button for the 18th floor. He tells them that the floors above 17 have to have a key card to even get the elevator to allow access to the floor. These floors are the Penthouse, Executive and Presidential floors

When they arrive on their floor, the bell hop leads them to their suite, opens the door, and leads them in. Inside he shows them around the suite. The two bedrooms are on opposite sides of the living area of the suite. The kitchen dining area is large enough for six people to have a sit down meal in comfort. He goes over to the balcony and opens the sliding door. It opens up overlooking the strip. You can stand outside and see the lights of Vegas and look down to all the revelers below partying till all hours. He shows them the features of the television/entertainment center.

After Castle feels he has all the information about the suite he needs, he gives the bell hop a fifty dollar tip and thanks him for his service. The bell hop drops the two keycards on the table, thanks Beckett and Castle and leaves the room.

Castle walks over to Kate who has been standing next to the balcony door looking out on the city looking a little pensive "Castle. Every time you and I go somewhere new, I am amazed at the splendor and opulence that I never have been a part of", then the smile leaves her face "but are you really sure that I am the one you want here?" she points around the room "This hotel! That first class airplane ride! These are not things that have ever been a part of my life. And THAT DRESS I don't even know what to say about the dress. I couldn't afford to even look at a dress like that on my salary. Let alone wear it"

"Kate, come here" he takes her into an embrace. Both arms wrapped around her, he draws her to his chest. "I don't want you ever think about any of that ever again. The possessions are not important to me. Maybe at onetime, but now, you are more valuable to me than all of those things. I would give it all up if I had to if it meant keeping you"

The smile returns to her face just Castle can't see it since she is looking out the balcony door. She told Lanie that Castle made her feel warm inside. She is feeling very warm, very safe, and very happy right now.

"Kate, remember one thing"

"Hum?" is the only sound she wants to make

Hoping he will hear her response to his promise of his feelings toward her.

"Katherine Beckett, I love you"

She responds from deep against his chest "Richard Castle I L….."

Just at that moment a man's body flies past their balcony headed toward the ground eighteen stories below.


	7. Chapter 7

CKAPTER 7

Castle grabs the key cards from the desk as he and Beckett head out the door to the elevator. The Executive Elevators are express to the lobby so they arrive in a very few minutes from when the man fell right in front of their eyes.

When they arrive at the lobby floor, several guests and employees are already gathered at the front entrance area to see what caused the commotion. . Everyone heard the crash when the man hit the canopy covering the patio restaurant located above the Porte Cherie. This covering the main front entrance doors.

When Castle and Beckett see the hotel security pass them and out to the Porte Cherie, they follow. There is some loud screaming and voices coming from the restaurant directly above on the mezzanine level.

Castle has to stop Kate from trying to rush into the situation. She has to be reminded that that in here Vegas she, like him, are only tourists and they need to stand back and stay out of the way and let the local PD handle the situation. Castle tells Beckett that when the police arrive, they will offer their statements and then let the local authorities take care of the case. Beckett knows that he is right, but she is always used to being the first one in on the chase and it is very hard for her to avoid running in and start asking questions.

In a very short time the detectives arrive at the scene. Kate and Rick know the drill very well and just stand by and wait for the uniforms to come around and ask if anyone saw or heard anything? Several guests and employees talk to the officers before they get to where Beckett and Castle are waiting.

Beckett tells the uniforms that her and Castle were looking out the balcony door on the 19th floor when the body passed them. Since this gives the police a point of origination for the victim, the uniforms ask them to come with them over and talk to the detectives.

The uniforms take Beckett and Castle over to a pair of detectives. "Detectives, this is Katherine Beckett and Richard Castle. They witnessed the victim pass by a window up on the 19th floor"

"Thank you, officer. Hello I Am Sergeant Jennifer Solis and this is my partner, detective Henry Hampton. So you witnessed the victim fall?"

"Yes, sergeant, I am detective Katherine Beckett, NYPD and this is my partner Richard Castle, He is a civilian consultant to the New York police."

"Oh, detective? Good! This helps. We have trained observers this time. What did you see?"

"Mr. Castle and I had just arrived at the suite his publisher arranged for him. He is a mystery writer here for a book release party and signing. The bell hop had just moments before left the suite. We had walked up to the balcony and looked out when the victim passed from above us. That would put him on either the Penthouse or roof for his point of origin." Beckett was not about to tell the detectives that she and Castle were cuddling in the doorway when this happened.

"OH? Richard Castle? The writer of the Derrick Storm and Nikki Heat Books?" Detective Hampton asks

Castle answers "Yes, that's me. We are having some book signings at several locations tomorrow and Saturday morning, then a press party Saturday night, here at the hotel."

"I have read most of your Storm series" detective Solis comments

"And I have read all of the Nikki Heat books" Hampton says as he is looking at Beckett "Oh My goodness! You're Nikki Heat!"

Beckett smiles "Mr. Castle modeled her after me, after following me around and getting in my way for almost a year. But I know you two have more to do than discuss his latest book. So is there anything else you need from us?"

Castle looks over to Beckett with a little smirk. Well, I thought you had decided that I was of at least SOME help on you cases?"

"Some? Yeah! I suppose"

"So, are you two staying in the same room here?" detective Solis asks with a knowing look on her face

"My publisher has put us into a two bedroom suite on the Presidential floor." Castle answers trying to keep the gossip from getting started even before the bags are unpacked.

"I understand" detective Hampton notes then he gives Beckett his card.

"Well, detective Beckett, Mr. Castle, I think we have everything we need at the moment. Of course, you know the drill. We will contact you later for more info and here is my card if you think of anything else" Solis hands each of them her card, then she comments "Mr. Castle, if you need anything at all while you are here" she writes something on the card she gives Castle "here is a phone number you can reach me anytime"

"Of course detective Solis, we will be glad to help if you need anything" Castle responds as they both turn to leave.

Beckett grabs the card that Solis gave to Castle and reads what she wrote "Oh! You can reach her anytime, huh? On the card she wrote. Here is my home phone and cell. CALL ME!"

"Kate. Don't get mad a t me. I saw the way detective Hampton was looking at you too!" Castle looks at the card Hampton gave Kate. "Well, here is his numbers too" They both laugh as they get onto the elevator for their trip back upstairs

When Castle and Beckett get back to the suite they start unpacking. They leave one room empty and both start putting their things into the one bedroom.

Ricks phone rings. He looks at the caller id and sees "PAULA" Rick looks over to Kate "it's Paula! I'll bet she wants to know why I spent her money on this suite. Kate smiles back "aren't you going to answer?"

Castle hits the answer button "Hello, Paula. Yeah I did. Well, it's my money too and you are not putting me into a cheap room. Well Beckett disserves better accommodations than what you did. Well I'm sorry you don't like it but it is the way it is. Well, I don't have time for this right now. I have other, more important, things to do right now". Looking over at Kate and smiling. "Well, the things I need to do are very important. So good bye Paula." Castle hangs up, places the phone down on the night stand.

Beckett has just finished unpacking her bags "So Castle, you want to tell me what is it that you need to do that is so important that you hung up on your agent?"

Wrapping his arms around Kate "I would rather show you if you don't mind. But I think we will stay away from the windows this time"


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

The room telephone rings and Castle answers. "Mr. Castle this is the concierge downstairs. The car is here to take you to the TV station."

"Thanks, I'll be right down." He walks over to the bed where Kate is still under the covers. He puts a kiss on the cheek, she moans a little, and opens her eyes.

"Where are you going?"

"It's 4:00 o'clock and the car is here to take me to the station for my interview. I am scheduled for the 6:00PM show. I'll be finished at 7:00 and then we can go grab some dinner when I get back"

Kate responds thru groggy eyes "4:00 already? OK. I'll be ready when you get back."

Castle kisses her again then heads out the door. Kate buries her head back into the pillow but with a very satisfied smile on her face.

Richard Castle arrives at the television station LVTV 81 an hour before air time. He is greeted by the show's producer, Judy Baker. She asks Castle if he needs to change clothes from what he is wearing. Castle tells her, no that he has on the clothes he will wear for the program. She first takes him to the make up department for a little as she puts it "Color" since being from New York he is not sporting a Vegas tan, yet! She tells him if he will just stay around a few more days he will soon be tan and beautiful After finishing in makeup, he is escorted to in the Green Room to wait until he will be brought into the studio.

There are snacks and drink along with a television monitor. The local news is currently reporting the event at The Western Grand Hotel earlier. The reporter is telling that the victim is yet to be identified and all they know is it was a male in his mid to late twenties.

At promptly 6:00 the stage manager comes in to tell Castle he will be on in five minutes. Castle watches the monitor at the opening dialog with the show's host, Roger Evans. He is telling the audience that he will have on today's show, famous mystery writer Richard Castle author of Derrick Storm and he is in town to promote his newest Nikki Heat book. Evans also tells that he also has a special surprise guest. About that moment, the stage manager opens the Green Room door and asks Castle to follow him.

Once on stage they wait until the show breaks for commercial then the host comes over to greet Castle. "Rick, I am Roger Evans. It is a pleasure to meet you. Please sit here." indicating the end of a long couch close to the host's table. The engineer steps up and places a microphone onto Castles' lapel.

Evans continues "after we return from the break, I will introduce you then ask why you are here. Then I will then ask how you got started, what is you inspiration and so forth. Is that good"

Rick responds that this is great, it is very familiar for him. It is a routine that he has lived with ever since his first interview right after his first novel made the best seller list.

The stage manager calls out "ten seconds" Everyone clears the floor the manager gives the host a count down ending with

"Welcome back everyone. Today we have with us world famous mystery writer, Richard Castle. He is here for a press party and book signing for his latest Nikki Heat novel. Well Rick, welcome to Las Vegas. How was your flight?"

"Thanks Roger. Actually we left New York very early this morning and I still could use a little rest" He is not about to disclose that instead of resting earlier, he and Kate choose to do other things. "but I am really pleased to be here in your fine city for a few days. I actually hope I can find at least some free time to see the sights. Maybe take in a show or two"

Back in their room, Kate has turned on the television and is watching her man put his charm to good use. She can see the part about him that woos the ladies including herself. She watches as he tell his stories of killing off Derrick Storm then being brought in by the NYPD on the first cases where she questioned him about what appeared to be a serial killer.

He begins to tell the story of finding a new character based on an expert New York police detective and how she showed him the real life of police work. Kate believes she can see a gleam in Castle's eyes while he is describing her and how she made him understand police work from the victim's side of things. Beckett suddenly gets has that warm feeling inside just knowing that he is describing her on regional television for everyone in Las Vegas to hear.

* * *

They break for a commercial just when Beckett's phone rings. "Beckett"

The voice on the other end of the line causes Beckett to jump "Hello Kate" comes the

voice of Will Sorenson

"Will, how are you?" Beckett asks very questioning.

"I am great Kate. How about you?"

"I am fine. To what do I owe this honor?"

"I am working on a serial killer case that you seem to be a witness to"

"What are you talking about"

"Victor Evans. The man who was pushed off the Western Grand Hotel earlier. He is the latest victim in a string of murders all around the country"

"Really? What is the proof of a serial killer?"

"Every one was thrown, pushed, or fell from a building and each was killed using some unusual weapon. We have not determined any connection between these victims yet, but we keep trying"

"Will, I have two victims in New York with similar wounds. Both came off buildings. I wonder if they are connected to your cases?"

"Possibly! Hey, I have a great idea. Let's have dinner tonight and discuss the cases. What do you say, Kate?"

Beckett is not comfortable having dinner with Sorenson. She knows that she is totally over him. She is not sure if he is over her. "Will, we can have dinner, but I will be bringing someone along"

"OH! I didn't know you had a new boyfriend"

"No, Will. I am here with Richard Castle. He is having a book party for Nikki Heat and I am here representing her"

"So, he's not your boyfriend?"

She doesn't want to lie, but she can't tell him either. It will get back to the 12th and Gates. "Look Will! Castle and his publisher are paying the tab for me being here. I am officially representing the NYPD, so I need to keep everything professional. So if you want to meet. We will, but Castle needs to be there as well. OK?"

"OK! Fine. Call me when you can schedule. I'll talk to you later"

Beckett hangs up. She can feel her face is red. Not because of Will. But the fact she had to lie to him about her and Castle. She looks back to the TV and notices the commercial is almost over and they are returning to the program.

* * *

During the commercial break, the host tells Castle that after the break that he will introduce his next guest and that Castle will move down the couch to allow the new guest to sit closest to the host. Castle acknowledges that he has done this before and he knows the routine. The floor manager gives the countdown

"Well, ladies and gentlemen we are back with Richard Castle, famous mystery writer. I did have one other question to ask Richard before we move on to the next guest. You are one of the New York Ledger's most eligible bachelors. So, you have a lot of the women in the Big Apple always following you around I suppose?"

"Well, we all have our crosses to bear"

"Oh I am sure of that! So, is there anyone special in your life right now?"

Castle remembers very well what kind of trouble that question brought to bear the last time it was asked and the problems that his poor decision in his answer, so he has decided to use a different tact this time.

"Well, actually there is someone very special in my life right now and in fact she carries a gun. So if I get out of line, she might just use it on me. I must be very careful to not stray or I will be in very deep trouble with her."

The host is suddenly guessing that he is getting ready to get a newsworthy scoop broadcast live on his program. "So! Who is the lucky lady, if I might be so bold as to ask?"

* * *

Beckett is sitting in their room about to have a heart attack

* * *

Castle reaches over on the desk, grabbing one of his books from in front of the host and holding it up "Her name is Nikki Heat. And I am afraid if I were to stray away she would have my hide"

* * *

Kate breathes a sigh of relief

* * *

"Well, Rick. That is no scoop. We all know you have been dedicated to her for several years. I appreciate you confirming your relationship for our audience today. But I also have a surprise for you!" Turning toward the camera Evans continues "The first one of Mr. Castle's Nikki Heat books has already been made into a movie." Holding up the Heat Wave book he continues "This movie was released earlier and the star that portrayed Nikki is here with us today, everyone please welcome Natalie Rhodes, Nikki Heat"

Castle looks off stage right to see Natalie entering smiling and waving. He has not seen her since the premier some time ago. When she gets to Castle, she grabs him around the neck and pulls herself into him so there is no space between their bodies and places one very long wet kiss onto him. "Hi Rick! It's been a long time. In fact too long since we did that"

"Hi Natalie" Castle responds trying to regain his composure

"Rick I am so glad that you have confirmed for the entire world your love for me" As she grabs him again


	9. Chapter 9

**Well Everyone. I hope you have been enjoying this one. I know i have.  
I wish I knew from what part of my brain this stuff comes from.**  
**Then I could get a transplant and get it fixed.  
I said at the beginning that the angst would not be bad. **

**So far  
So Good  
**

**Everyone, sit back, relax, and enjoy. Because I plan for this story to remain  
**

**! FUN !  
**

**Well, not fun the the victims!**

* * *

CHAPTER 9

Kate is sitting on the couch just waiting for Castle's return. When the door opens she stands up and slowly walks towards the guilty looking man entering the room.

"Well Castle! How was your little make out session with Nikki?"

"OUCH! You watched?"

"Yeah I watched! You are so lucky they wouldn't let me bring my gun with me"

Castle walks up to Kate, puts his arms around her "I had no idea that they were doing that. If I had, I might have told the host something different than the story that Nikki was the love of my life"

"So now are you telling me that Nikki is not the love of your life, writer boy? Just keep digging that hole deeper and deeper" Kate is giving Rick that smile that normally only means one thing. She is wanting him to kiss her. He wastes no time in fulfilling that request.

"So, besides watching me get caught totally off guard and embarrassed. What did you do this afternoon?"

So to make sure there is no doubt about the relationship between him and her, she opens up about Sorenson calling "Castle, I got a call from Will Sorenson while you were on TV"

Castle gets a little jealous just hearing the name, Will Sorenson. He was the first man that Castle actually saw Kate in a relationship with. He remembers that even though he and Beckett were just co workers at the time, he became so jealous just seeing her with the FBI agent. "Sorenson huh? What did he want? Was he trying to get back together with you?"

Castle realized what he just said came out somewhat harsh. He really didn't mean for it to, but it did.

"Actually, he is the lead FBI Agent on a serial killer case that relates to our victim from this morning and believe it or not, maybe our last two cases back in New York may also be connected"

"Really? How? What?"

"The victims were all tossed from rooftops of buildings and their wounds were inflicted by an unusual weapon. They haven't figured out what weapons are that were used. No two were the same."

"Alright! What do we do right now?"

"Sorenson suggested me meet for dinner. I told him I would not meet without you being there. I told him I was here as the guest of you and Black Pawn so you would be with me when we had dinner. But I didn't tell him you are my boyfriend. So where do you want to go?"

"OK. How about the Blue Grab restaurant over off the strip on Silver Dollar Way?"

"Wherever you want to go."

"That's good since I already made reservations for 8:30. It is about 50 feet from that little lingerie shop I told you about. We can stop there on our way back to the hotel" That comment did earn him a solid poke on the chest and a sweet giggle from his girl.

Beckett calls Sorenson and he agrees to meet them there for dinner

In the cab on the way over to the restaurant, Castle has one arm around Kate and with the other he is holding her hand. "Kate, we can't keep this secret much longer. The pull of everyone not knowing is getting harder and harder"

Beckett looks into his blue eyes "I know. I feel it too. When we get home, we need to come clean to everyone. Let's just get everyone together and spill."

"Kate, I just know a lot of people will be happy for us. My only concern is what will Gates do? She can otherwise ruin our relationship, but Kate I love you so much, I really don't care anymore. I just want the world to know about you and how I feel about you."

"How will us going public affect Martha and your daughter?"

"I think they can handle any repercussions of us going public"

"I hope so, I really love them and I don't want anything we do to cause irreparable harm to come to anyone"

"When we get to the restaurant, we will tell Will the truth about us Too. OK?"

"OK! I think we should"

The taxi driver has been listening to this conversation thinking he is hearing a couple involved in an illicit affair discussing how they are going to handle coming out to spouses and everyone else. The taxi cab driver pulls over to the curb and turns to the couple in the back seat. "Hello you two. I wonder have either of you heard of the reality television program called 'True Stories from the Taxi'?"

Castle looks at the driver "Yes, isn't that the show where you record the activities in the back seat of cabs and then…..OH MY GOSH! You are not that program? Are you?"

"Yes Sir. I am and the conversation I just heard will make great television.

Beckett speaks up "Look! I am a New York police detective and I..."

"Fantastic! This will make the show even better"

"No you don't understand..."

"Oh! That is what everyone says. But I can assure you that after this is broadcast, everyone you have been hiding from will know everything"


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Castle looks over the back seat to the driver "Look! I am Richard Castle. I am a mystery writer here on a book tour. This beautiful woman I was having a very private conversation with is Detective Kate Beckett of the New York police department. And she is my girlfriend and model for one of my main characters. We are not having an affair. Neither on of us is married. We are in a relationship that we have had to keep a secret due to problems that might occur at her work.

The driver is madly making notes about what Castle is saying

"So whatever illicit thing you thought you were capturing is not, what you were hoping for. Now, since I have almost unlimited legal resources, you might just consider what kind of a bad Storm (Castle looks over at Kate and grins about the "Storm" comment) I can unleash on you and your little television program. So if you know what is best for your financial position, I suggest you give me the recordings of what took place tonight. Do I make myself clear?"

The driver sits thinking for a moment "OK Mr. Castle. I guess I understand" He reaches under the front seat and pulls out a flash drive and hands it over to Castle.

Sir, I believe you made the wisest choice. So we are all clear on this. If I find out that there is another copy of this or if there is any posting or broadcast of what took place in this cab tonight you will be faced with some very serious legal issues. Do I make myself clear?"

The cab driver looks out the front window and after a moment's pause "Yes, I understand"

"Good. So we will be leaving now"

The driver looks at the meter. "Sir! That will be $19.45"

Castle looks toward the driver "Seriously? You are charging me for this? Here's twenty. Keep the change"

Castle and Beckett get out and walk toward the next corner. Fortunately the cab has brought them to within one block of the restaurant. They enter the front door and are greeted by the hostess "Good evening Mr. Castle. The rest of your party is already here. He leads the couple to a table near the rear of the restaurant. When they come close to their seats they see Sorenson and a woman sitting at the table.

"Hello Mr. Castle, Detective Beckett" Comes the words from Special Agent Jordan Shaw "glad to see you again detective. Well, I see that Mr. Castle is still OBSERVING you"

"Agent Shaw? Hello!" Beckett almost has to spit out the name. Kate remembers that Castle was somewhat smitten by her when they first met several years ago or more accurately smitten by her toys. "Are you involved in this case?

"Yes I am. I am here as a profiler to see if we can tie any of this together."

"Since you all know each other, it seems that we have the old team all back together again" Sorenson chimes in

Castle and Beckett sit down next to each other. Beckett starts the conversation "So! I guess you two have been working on this case for a while?"

"I was assigned to assist Agent Sorenson about two weeks ago when the fifth victim was connected to his case."

The server comes up and asks for drink orders. Castle tells the server that he knows what he wants. The two FBI agents had already ordered.

After ordering drinks and their meals, Beckett asks. "So what is the history of this case?"

Sorenson begins "the first victim happened here in Las Vegas. The second was in Los Angeles, then Houston, Chicago, and finally Portland. If we count your two in New York and the one this morning we have a total of eight. The only connection is the MO of the killing. Strange weapon and tossed from a building"

Castle is listening closely to the conversation "Is there anything else tying these victims to a common thread? Business, banking, high school, college, gym memberships? Anything at all?"

Shaw answers. "No! That is why the profile is almost impossible to pin down. I have tried everything I can think of to connect the dots. Nothing fits, so far. Since you became a witness, I am hoping that you and your odd ball thinking might twist this into one of your stories and come up with an answer"

"Well I can try. Can you get me the details on the other cases? I will get the information from the guys in New York and this latest case and we will see if something clicks."

Shaw tells Castle that she will gather the documents and bring them to Castle's hotel later this evening.

This whole time, Sorenson is looking at Beckett and not really paying attention to the conversation between Castle and Shaw. Beckett is not looking at Sorenson, but at Castle. She is totally oblivious to Will's focus on her. She glances over toward Shaw for a moment and decides that Shaw is smiling at Castle a little too much. Kate realizes that Shaw is flirting with Rick. She looks at Sorenson just in time to see a big smile come across his face. Maybe this dinner was not such a good idea. They should have kept it at the FBI office and not over an expensive meal.

"Agent Shaw, I think tomorrow will be fine for the case files. I don't need it tonight"

"Oh, I just thought we might get started earlier this way"

"No thanks. Tomorrow will be fine. Oh look here is our meals!" Castle is so glad the food has arrived. The rest of dinner is conducted with idle conversation about sports and what good shows they might see while in Vegas.

Castle pays the tab, over the objections of the two FBI agents, and they all walk out to the front.

"Well, Agent Shaw, Agent Sorenson. I guess we will talk to you two tomorrow" Beckett states.

Castle goes to hail a cab and bids goodnight to the two agents "Yes. We will all talk tomorrow Agent Shaw. We will be at a book signing early tomorrow so you can just leave the documents with the desk and I will get them when I return"

"OK Rick. We will see you tomorrow" Shaw responds

Castle did not notice that Agent Shaw had slipped a piece of paper into his jacket.

During the cab ride back to the hotel, Castle puts his arm around Kate as she puts her head on his shoulder. He whispers into her ear that he will not be discussing their love life out loud in a cab ever again. She laughs and agrees with his sentiment.

Back in their hotel room, they both change and go to the living room to have a glass of wine and unwind for on the couch. "Castle, what is on the agenda tomorrow?"

We go in the morning to Borders out on the north end of the strip and then to their store in the mall after lunch. Tomorrow night we are free and I got us some tickets to see Blue Man. Front row under the rain coats."

"I've never seen them live."

"You will love them Kate. They are so much fun to watch"

Kate Beckett is sitting, curled up against her man. Hum. Her man! She has never had someone she felt like calling Her Man before.

"Castle I am having a great time so far. So this is how you have lived your life before I came along?"

"No. This is not how I lived before. Before now I didn't have you with me. So I can't compare then and now because there is no comparison"

Kate puts her head on his shoulder. That warm feeling is coming around again. She then looks back up at Castle. "I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back" and stands to go to the bedroom

Just as she leaves the living room into the bedroom they hear KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! On the door

Beckett looks toward the door "Now who could that be?"

"I don't know" Castle says while getting up and walking over to the door. "Only hotel staff can even come to this floor"

When Castle opens the door he comments "OH! Hello Special Agent Shaw"


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Castle quickly looks toward the bedroom before inviting Agent Shaw into the room "Agent Shaw. To what do I own this honor?"

"Please call me Jordan. I said at the restaurant, I would bring the files over tonight. So here they are"

"Well, Agent Shaw, tomorrow would have been better"

"You didn't call me. I left my number in your jacket pocket earlier"

"I didn't see the note"

"Rick I also thought I might ask you to join me for a drink before it got too late"

"Agent Shaw I think it would be better if we were to meet back at the FBI field office instead of here at my hotel. "

"Rick. PLEASE call me Jordan." She begins walking toward Castle as he backs away toward the spare bedroom door. He is hoping Kate will come out of their room and save him. What he doesn't know is that Beckett is just inside the door watching this unfold. She has seen the incident from the beginning so she is fully aware of what is happening. And she is totally enjoying watching Castle squirm. It is all she can do to not laugh out loud.

Just as Castle is backed into the door with no where else to go, there is another knock on the hotel room door. Shaw tells Castle that it might be best if no one knew she was here. He opens the door and pushes her in and closes the door. Castle looks across the living room and sees Beckett walk out of the opposite bedroom. She is laughing out loud. "Castle, you are so busted." as she heads toward the door.

"Beckett! Just answer the door"

She opens the room door and comes face to face with Agent Sorenson "Will! What are you doing here?"

Castle beats a hasty retreat to the kitchen and ducks behind the counter. Now it's her turn to squirm.

"Well, I thought I would bring the files over to you and see if maybe you and I could come up with some theories about the case before Shaw and Castle do. And maybe we could go out and have some drinks and catch up on old times. I know that Jordan was planning to go over to Castle's hotel room tonight. You know she's had the hots for him ever since the three of you worked together on that case a few years ago?"

"Really? Shaw and Castle? That might be an interesting story line in one of his books all by itself." Kate glances over toward the kitchenette to see if Castle is hearing this. He pops his head up and smirks at these two.

"So, Kate what do you say? I have thought a lot about US" as Sorenson starts walking toward Beckett Kate is backing away from him

"Will! You and I are over. Totally over! Completely over. We have been done for almost four years. There is no US! OK?"

"Oh come on Kate."

There is a knock on the door. Castle looks toward the door thinking who in the world could that be?

Not knowing who is at the door Beckett points to the bedroom and tells Sorenson to "Get in there and keep quiet"

After Sorenson closes the door, Castle pops up from behind the dining table. "Kate, did you invite another ex boyfriend to join us?"

Beckett's frustrated response is "No I figure it's probably one of your fangirls looking for a private signing" then almost as an afterthought "probably on some private body part"

Castle looks over to Beckett "Kate just hide over there" pointing toward the living area. She ducks behind the couch while Castle opens the door. Beckett was partially correct. There is in fact a fangirl at the door.

"Hello Sergeant Solis! What are you doing here?"

Jennifer Solis is standing in front of Richard Castle wearing what would best be described as "going out on a party date" attire. Very sexy. Very revealing. Not what a police detective would wear during investigation.

"Richard, I just hoping that you might be willing to review the case with me. I know that this is what you do with the NYPD and since your daytime schedule is so full I thought this would be a good time."

"UH! Sergeant, I don't think this is the time or place to discuss cases. And anyway you look like you are off on a date."

"OH! This little thing?" Indicating the dress she is wearing "It's just something I threw on. I thought after we worked on the case we might go get some drinks. And please call me Jennifer"

"Uh sergeant, this is really, really a bad time. I am really tied up right now"

Kate is looking over the back of the couch thinking "yeah! You are tied up right now. When I get through with her, she will be tied to a chair and gagged"

"I'm sorry sergeant. But you need to leave because…"

There is another knock on the door.

"I'm sorry Rick, were you expecting someone?"

"Actually no I was not. Look, go in that bedroom over there and wait for me" pointing toward the bedroom where Agent Shaw is waiting.

After the bedroom door closes Kate jumps up walks over to Castle "My turn. You have two girls. Maybe I can catch another guy"

Castle returns to the kitchen and drops behind the table

Kate opens the door "UH, Hello detective Hampton. What are you doing here?"

"Oh I just just in the area and I thought if I brought some case notes that you might be able to help with the victim from this morning. I have been trying to make a good impression on my boss, Sergeant Solis, and if I come up with a suspect, she will be impressed"

"Is that the only reason you came here tonight?" looking over to Castle who is peeking around the table grinning

"No. Actually I was kind of hoping you might go out with me for some drinks. I could show you around Vegas. I know those special places that most tourists never get to see"

"I bet you do. Oh! Let think about this for a minute! Hey Castle! What do you think I should do?" Kate walks over and opens the bedroom door exposing Agent Shaw and Sergeant Solis. Castle pops up from behind the kitchen counter and heads over to the other bedroom and opens the door on Sorenson. The two FBI agents each have a 'what are you doing here?' look on their faces. The two Las Vegas police detectives are also both quite embarrassed over this situation. Not one of the four planned for this outcome.

"OK! Everyone in the living room! NOW!" Castle is obviously tired of the games. Rick steps over next to Kate and puts his arm around her waist and pulls her into a passionate kiss that she happily returns.

"All Right! Everyone see that? Because if you didn't I will be more than happy to repeat it for you"

The four law enforcement officers are standing in the room dumbfounded. No one says a word.

"I thought so. Now let me make one thing perfectly clear. Katherine Beckett is my girlfriend. She is the love of my life. She and I are in a deep, very deep relationship. I will say, up until just this moment, we were keeping it a secret. But it is obviously out to your four now. We would however ask you not say anything to anyone until after Saturday night when we disclose this to the world. OK!"

They get a grumbling acknowledgement from the four others.

"Now fine. Thank you for stopping by everyone and don't call us. We'll call you" as Castle points to the front door.

The group all gives their mournful congratulations to the pair.

Then as Sorenson passes by Castle cannot help himself "Will, you may have hooked her, but I got to reel her in"


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Castle and Beckett close the door and look at each other. "So Castle. Are you are telling me that this is not how all your typical book signings normally go?"

"No thank goodness. I am so glad that is over."

"I hope it's over" Beckett opens the door and peers into the hallway making sure that there is not another unplanned visitor lurking just around the corner. "No the coast is clear"

"Great! Let's get to bed. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow"

Castle takes Beckett's hand and leads her to the bedroom and closes the door.

Their wake up call comes much too soon to suit either one of them. It was a long night dealing with old loves, prospective suitors and fans. Along with a very private celebration of just being together.

Beckett is looking thru the clothes she brought for the weekend trying to decide exactly what to wear. Castle comes up behind her "you know the fans are expecting Nikki Heat. Why don't you wear a pair of your skinny jeans, boots with the 6" heels? That makes you so tall. Then pointing into the closet, that blue button front blouse and finish it off in that sexy short black leather jacket that makes you so hot. That should complete the Nikki Heat look"

Beckett looks back over her shoulder. "You know my wardrobe as well as I do. Don't you?"

"Yes I have had dreams of dressing you for years" grinning at her reflection in the mirror

"Were more of you dreams centered on dressing me or undressing me?"

"It's getting hot in here again. We better go down to the restaurant before I get distracted."

After getting dressed they go downstairs for breakfast in the hotel's main restaurant. Their meal is interrupted more than once with fans that recognized the writer, his muse or both. This was the first time that someone actually asked for Beckett's autograph. She was briefly taken back by the request. A few fans also asked to get a picture with Kate. Castle told her that she had better become accustomed to it, because the rest of the day would be filled with these requests.

After they finished and were waiting for the car to pick them up, Castle opened the case files that all the visitors to the room last night brought by. He and Beckett begin reading the reports, notes, and witness statements.

"Kate, these victims were all computer geeks. Most of them seemed to be involved in gaming of some type. I wonder if they played the same game or possibly played against one other online."

"Castle, the first victim was here in Vegas for a game convention of some kind" she shuffles thru the file "Let me see. The West Coast GameCon was the name. They meet here at the Las Vegas Convention Center. All types of computer game related vendors from hardware and software. Look. The first victim was a game developer. He was working for a company called Cyber War Software. Their headquarters are in Chicago. That is where victim number four was from."

"Why would someone kill gamers? Makes no sense. I mean, Alexis and I play laser tag all the time. No one goes around killing laser tag players. We all just play for fun."

"I don't know Castle, but the gaming does seem to be the common ground for all these victims. Now we still need to connect the rest of the dots."

The concierge comes over and tells Castle and Beckett that their car has arrived. They gather up the files they have and head out to their first book signing for today.

As they get into the car, Beckett's cell phone rings. It's Ryan "Hey Kevin. What's up?" Beckett listens intently for a minute "Got it. We are on out way to a book signing at this moment. When we break for lunch, I'll call you and see if you have any more details. Send the images to Castle's tablet and we will look at them. Great." Beckett chuckles "No we have not been gambling. We actually are involved in a murder. No Really. Well, a victim fell past our room just after we got here yesterday." Beckett did not think when she just said 'Their Room' giving Ryan a hint that hey might be sharing a suite together "I guess killers just like to follow us around. OK. Talk to you later. Bye"

"What all did Ryan have to say?"

"They took the digital images of the wounds from both of our victims and tech enhanced them adding contrast. He is sending them to your tablet for us to look at."

About that very moment the pictures arrive on Castles pad. He opens the first picture and then he and Kate review each image over and over. Analyzing the angle, depth, and size of the wounds The image from the first victim appears to be a small ball shaped object with crescent shaped indentations running the circumference of the ball.

"Castle, what type of weapon causes that type wound?" Beckett questions

"It looks like a cannon ball, just like Lanie said. It must have had several ridge shaped attachments going all around the outside completely surrounding the ball. This caused extra damage to the victim."

"I've never seen a wound like that"

"Kate, look at the second victim" Castle switches to the next set of pictures "the nun chucks seem to have a similar attachment to the outside of the rod portion"

Castle and Beckett continue to review the files until they arrive at their first stop. The driver pulls up in front of the store to drop them off. Castle asks the driver if he is going somewhere else or is he assigned to them for the day. He tells him that he is with the pair all day and will be parking on the lot out front and will come into the store to wait until the signing is over.

Once inside Beckett and Castle are escorted to the rear of the store where a table has been set up for the signing. Once the duo are settled the manager speaks to the crowd

"Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to thank each and every one of you for coming out today. We have a very, very special treat for you today. For the first time ever, Mr. Richard Castle has brought with him, the model for the Nikki Heat series. I want everyone to give a special greeting to Detective Katherine Beckett of the New York Police Department" as the manager points toward Kate "Detective Beckett"

Everyone applauds and Castle makes Kate stand up and wave. When Beckett sits down, Castle stands up. "Thanks everyone for making the Nikki Heat series so popular. So without further ado let's get started."

Castle sits back down and looks at the line in front of them. He notices something very different today. There are a large number of women dressed similar to what Beckett is wearing. High heel boots, skinny jeans, some really should not be wearing this style jean and a short leather jacket. These fangirls are really into cosplay. Castle leans over to Kate and points out the clothes they are wearing. "Kate, too many people have watched the movie I guess"

"It looks that way, doesn't it? Do you see how many men are in line too?"

Castle notices there are several today. This has not been the norm for his books. "I guess a lot of them have been bitten by the Nikki Heat bug."

As the morning progresses, Kate notices the flirting coming from the women. "Castle did I act like that when I came to assigning?" Beckett asks

Castle looks over "I didn't know that you came to one of my signings"

Of course Castle sees the men doing the same by flirting with Kate. At one point, during one of the ladies in line make a more overt comment toward Castle. Beckett leans over and gives Castle a kiss making sure everyone sees what she did. Castle looks at Kate.

"Oh, I'm just staking claim and marking my property"

"Well, you just mark all you want"


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

By noon both Beckett and Castle are hungry and tired. The line has finally finished and the manager thanks them for coming by and wishes them the best. Then he looks to Castle "So you two are a little more than writer and muse, huh?" referring to the kiss earlier. Castle just smiles and tells the manager "have a good day"

Back in the limo Castle and Beckett ask the driver to take them to a quiet place they can eat in peace. The driver tells them that the lunch is being furnished and that they can eat in the car in solitude. Castle thanks the driver for the consideration.

Becket calls back to Ryan to see if anything else has been discovered. When Ryan answers, she can hear a lot of commotion in the background. She can tell he is trying to get someone to quiet down.

"Hey, Kevin. Castle and I think that the victims are connected by online game playing. They all are computer geeks. The first victim was here in Vegas is what the FBI is thinking. He was a programmer with a company that was here at a convention when he was murdered. The company offices are in Chicago where vic number four was killed."

"Ok that makes sense. We will look for other connections on the two we have here in New York."

Beckett can swear she hears talking in the background on Ryan's end of the phone

"Also, check and see if the two vics came to Vegas around the time of the convention. It was West Coast GameCon"

"Got it boss. So is there anything else you need to tell us back here?"

Beckett just knows that something is going on in the background. She is positive she hears whispering like Ryan is trying to shush someone up.

"No. Why? What is all the noise I hear on your end of the phone?"

"I don't hear any noise Beckett. Sorry. Let me call you back when I get something more on the case. Bye"

Castle has a questioning look on his face "What was all that about?"

"I heard some talking in the background around Ryan, but he kept saying there was nothing. It sounded like someone was whispering near him and he was distracted. I'm just not real sure about that. Anyway, they are looking into the connections of the New York victims to the convention. We need to call Sorenson and tell him what you found and let him go from there"

"Kate, I'll call Sorenson"

"Got it"

Castle calls Sorenson and gives him the information about the possibility that the victims may have all been in Vegas during the convention. The conversation was cool but respectful and all business. Will tells Castle that he will get back to him later in the day after he follows up on the information Rick provided.

Kate and Rick relax and have their lunch in the comfort and privacy of the limo. After the break, they head back downtown for the second and final signing for the day.

The second book store is much like the first. A similar crowd of fans. Same flirting with Rick and Kate. Another firmly placed kiss, only this time Castle made sure the fans knew where the territory limits.

The driver gets the couple back to their hotel in time for them to go to the room, clean up then go downstairs to the restaurant for dinner. They ask for a secluded table so that have a chance to eat in peace.

After they finish, they head over to the theatre to see the Blue Man show. When they get inside, they are escorted to their seats. Each seat on the first several rows has a plastic poncho over the back. This is a hint of what might be happening during the show. .

On each side of the stage is a large cylinder from the floor to the height of the stage with a swirl of water similar to a tornado rotating inside. On the top of these cylinders is a digital sign passing messages to the audience. Several comments appear telling about birthday parties, anniversary, and special days. Then the message appears across the display screens

**"Everyone please join us in congratulating Rick and Kate for finally getting together**"

Beckett covers her mouth to keep from screaming.

"Castle, did you do that?"

Castle is sitting in his chair in shock "NO. And I don't know who did. But when the show is over I am going to try to find out"

The house lights dim and the show begins. Kate has never seen these performers live and it is just fun.

During the course of the show the performers travel out into the audience and bring one woman on stage and perform a routine pretending to be courting her as only the BMG and do with all their goofy stunts. Of course. They come out and get Kate. She has a blast on the stage.

The show is everything that it was advertised and more.

After the performance Castle does try to talk to someone to find out who had the sign put up before the performance. No one can tell him who to talk to. He thinks it is just a delaying tactic. He finally gives up and he and Kate head back out of the lobby.

"Castle, this all still feels like a dream. Crazy fans, fantastic hotel, great food, and one crazy rock show. I'm wondering when am I going to wake up in my own bed alone and discover that this is all been a wonderful dream?"

"Kate, if this is a dream, I hope you never wake up. I am enjoying your dream as much as you are" Castle takes Beckett's hand and refuses to let go as the head beck toward their room.

An exhausting day signing books and getting their pictures made with many, many fans, and one unbelievable show is finally concluded. Castle and Beckett are finally returning to their hotel room. On the walk back to the hotel, Castle tells Kate that even for him this was a new experience. Having Nikki here made a giant difference in the entire atmosphere and he is really enjoying the trip. When they enter the suite, Beckett is surprised by several arrangements of flowers of various types and sizes and a magnum of Champagne.

"Castle, did you order flowers?"

"No, why?"

"Look in the room"

"Wow! I wonder who sent all these" as he picks up the first envelope with the champagne. His eyes grow wide as he reads the note.

"Who sent it" Beckett asks

"It's from the mayor"

"The mayor? Bob Weldon, the New York mayor?"

"Yeah. It says Congratulations to you two. Signed Bob"

Beckett picks up another card "this one's from Espo and Ryan. It says it's about time

guys"

Castle takes the next card and as he read it he exclaims "OH Crap!"

"What's wrong? Who's it from?"

"GATES"

"Gates? What does it say?"

"Just what do you think I will do to ruin your relationship?"

"OH NO! Castle, they have seen the video from the taxi"

"OH GREAT We are SO done"


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Castle and Beckett are looking around at all the flowers and champagne in the room.

"Kate. I guess we are out in the open now? Huh?"

"Well you said that this would probably happen this weekend. I guess it did." Beckett walks over to Castle and puts her arms around his neck. "Since one of the cards is from Captain Gates, I guess you and I are probably finished at the prescient."

"Probably? Kate, I bet I can still arrange to come in. You know if I play my mayor card, Gates will be forced to let me stay"

"Castle, that's really not a good idea with her. She holds grudges and using your friendship with the mayor will just throw fire on an already tense partnership."

"I guess you're right. I just really enjoy being with Lanie and the boys. They all have become so important to me. I want to keep that relationship going"

Beckett looks up to Rick "So Castle. Now you're telling me that the only real reason you followed me around all this time was to be friends with them and not because you were trying to sleep with me?"

"Is that hole I have been digging getting deeper again?"

"Deeper and deeper, writer boy"

"I should just stop talking?"

"Good idea"

Beckett had left her cell phone in the hotel room while they were at the show and it chirps that there is messages waiting. She picks up her phone and sees that there is a voice mail from Ryan and a text and voice mail from Lanie. She reads the text first.

"I had nothing to do with any of this." Beckett laughs as she shows the message to Castle

Then she plays Lanie's voice mail

"There was a video on the channel 7 entertainment reporter's show with the two of you canoodling in the back seat of a taxi cab. Sorry Kate. I didn't say a word but it's all over Page 6 in the Ledger now"

Beckett looks at Castle. "I don't think we can't even try to deny anything to anyone now"

"I guess not. Kate, I could call my lawyer and have him threaten the cab driver and his show, but that won't change the fact that everyone knows about us now."

Kate drops her head to his chest and again wraps her arms around his back. That special place where she feels safe and warm. Castle gladly wraps his arms around her shoulders pulling her into a hug.

She pulls back and then plays Ryan's message. "Beckett, its Ryan, call me. We have some interesting information on the cases"

Kate looks at the time. It's after 10:00 in Vegas that makes it after midnight in New York.

"I'll call him first thing in the morning"

Just then Castle's phone rings. It's Agent Shaw. Rick answers on speakerphone

"Castle, we have some information on the cases. You were right about the gaming connection, but they were doing more than just gaming. They were a hacking group. We connected all of the victims thru the group. That is our connection."

"A hacking group? That is what got them killed? That doesn't make any sense. That should get them arrested, not get them killed?"

"Not sure but that is the only thread connecting these people together. They were online gamers and a hackers group"

Beckett speaks up,"Agent Shaw, when we got back to the room tonight, I had a message from Detective Ryan in New York, but we have not called him back. It's after midnight there, so we decided to wait until tomorrow to call him. I wonder if he wanted to share that information with us"

"It probably is the same data but you might call first thing in the morning and see what else they found and get back to me"

"Will do, Agent Shaw. We will talk to you tomorrow" Castle hangs up then checks to see if Ryan may have sent him an e-mail. He picks up his pad and sure enough there is an e–mail from Ryan.

"Castle, we tied the two here in New York to the other killings. They were all part of the same hacker group. They called them selves 'CTC' it stood for Coast to Coast. That was because they had members on both the sides of the country. Call me when you can.

Ryan"

"All right, now we are getting somewhere" Castle pops off

"You did it, Castle. No one had thought of the online gaming connection."

"We haven't solved this yet, but we are getting closer"

Kate tells Rick she is going to get ready for bed and enters the bedroom. Castle goes over to the desk and opens the case files and starts reviewing the information again. Since he is a speed reader he has reread the complete set of files by the time she comes back into the living area.

"Are you seeing anything that we missed before?"

"Afraid not. Same information. Maybe if I sleep on it, something will pop?" He stands and walks over and puts his arms around Beckett." So, the weekend has not been the romantic distraction I was planning" Has it?"

"No, but I must say is has so far been very entertaining." She smiles up to Castle "Ex girlfriend flight attendant, crazed Nikki Heat fangirls, smitten police detective, and oh yeah! Dead Body..."

Castle interrupts "So? Are you are the smitten detective?"

"Smiling "Actually I was one at one time"

"OH, which one? Smitten detective or fangirl?"

"Both"

"Well, smitten detective/fangirl, lets go in that room over there" pointing to the bedroom door, "and fulfill one of my fantasies"

"Which fantasy? Fangirl or smitten detective?"

"Both"


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Saturday morning breaks bright and clear. Today these two do not even have to leave the hotel. The plans are for the book signing to occur at 2:00 to 4:00 PM and then the release party for 7:00.

Castle turns over in the bed to find it empty. "Kate" he calls out. Looking toward the bedroom door, he sees Beckett sitting on the couch in the living area with a cup of coffee from the in-room coffee maker in her hand and the case files on her lap. He walks up to her and bends down for a kiss.

"Well, I see I've lost my coffee delivery job"

"No. I'm not letting you off the hook so easily. I am just waiting for you to get up so we could order some room service and get real coffee sent up here."

Acting very much like the school's funniest kid, that at one time Beckett hated but she now finds adorable, Castle bows to her "Very well, my lady. What is your pleasure?"

Kate tells him bacon, eggs, pancakes, toast, hash browns, juice, and of course more coffee. He looks at her with a question in his eyes "Are you starving or what?"

"Well I have been excercising a lot these last few days." Then she giggles "I need to keep my strength up"

"All right, got it"

Rick picks up the house phone and orders the meal Kate has requested along with the same for him self.

He sits down next to Kate. "Have you called Ryan yet?"

"No, I was waiting for you to get up" Beckett takes her phone and dials Ryan's number

"Hey, Beckett, Hey Castle" they hear from the other end of the phone. "How is everything?" Castle and Beckett can tell that there a chuckle in the voice. He must know they are there together

"We're great" Beckett responds. She knows Ryan is aware that Castle is right next to her. "You have new stuff for us?"

"Yeah I do. When tech dug deeper into the victim's computers they found each man's machine contained a hidden partition with some very disturbing files. We are really not sure what it means though."

"Kevin, what do you mean disturbing?" Castle asks

"The directory had a very unusual name"

"What was the name of the directory?" Beckett questions

"Monsters from the ID"

Castle and Beckett look at each other "Did you say Monsters from the ID?" Castle responds

"Yeah. Does that mean anything to either of you?"

"It's a reference to a movie that Beckett and I both love. Forbidden Planet" Kate gives Castle a questioning look

"I don't understand. How is it related to a movie? What does it mean?"

"It is a reference to our subconscious. Sigmund Freud said we have conscious thinking where we are in control of what we say and do and then a subconscious that we have no direct control over. This is where the monsters live. He believed that these monsters could be summoned out to cause damage then sent back inside. The individual whose monster is activated does not know it has happened" Castle explains

Beckett continues as she is glaring at Rick "In the movie the main character attacks the rescue ship with a monster from his ID. A monster from his subconscious. A monster he cannot control."

"So what did these hackers get into? Did they unleash monsters from their own ID? Did they go killing each other?" Ryan asks

"Ryan, this is really scary stuff. I really don't know yet where it all ties together. Let Beckett and me work on this for a little while"

"OK guys. I'll see what we can dig up back here. So now Beckett, is there anything else you need to tell your friends and co workers back here in the big apple?"

"Uh. No? I don't think so" Beckett is looking at Castle while she answers,"Castle can you think of anything?"

"No, Kate. I think we covered everything that needs to be discussed for now"

Ryan is obviously having fun with these two "All right you two. If you say so! Just remember there will be hell to pay when you get back. Bye"

Castle smiles over to Beckett. "He's right you know. They are going to grill us over an open fire back in the city"

"Well, Mr Castle, I might just grill you right here and now."

"What did I do now?"

"What do you mean a movie that we BOTH love."

"You know Forbidden Planet"

"You acted like you had never seen that movie before the night I took you to see it at the Angelica?"

"I never said I had not seen it"

"You led me to believe you did not even know what the movie was about"

"I may have seen it once or twice in the past with Alexis"

"How many times?"

"UH! Several times?"

"How Many?"

"Every year with Alexis"

"You tricked me into a date? So, you lied to me. I took you to a movie that you have seen many, many times? Wait! I even bought you popcorn with that."

"Right, but you wouldn't get me candy too. But LIE is such a harsh word. I prefer to use the term bend the truth. I hadn't seen the movie ….in uh…almost a year when you an I went out."

"Mr. Richard Castle, you OWE me big time for this one!"

Rick is saved by a firm knock on the door. Castle looks at Beckett. "I hope that's our breakfast. I'm starving"

Beckett's stomach growls "Me too"

Castle opens the door but it definitely is not room service


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

Castle is facing three very large, very tough looking men in suits, with bulges under their coats that normally are used for hiding weapons. "Mr. Castle. Ms. Beckett. We are with the US Government and we need to talk"

"Please come in agent…? Uh, I missed you name?"

The three men enter the hotel room "I am agent Ken Jefferson, these are agents Alexander Richardson and Ted Porter. And we need to have a very confidential conversation with the two of you"

Pointing to the dinning table, Castle says "please have a seat." Castle and Beckett both sit down at the table.

The three men are not here for coffee or a social visit. Agents Jefferson and Porter sit down directly across from Castle and Beckett. Jefferson and Porter are in their mid thirties. They have short military style hair cuts. They obviously spend a great deal of time in the gym. They look as if they were to flex their muscles, it would rip right thru their suit coats.

The third man, Agent Richardson, is very different. He is taller, well over six foot and older, probably mid 60's . He has silver gray hair cut longer in a more civilian style. His suit appears to be more expensive than the other two. He has chiseled features. Steel blue eyes and a square jaw. His frame is still solid. He looks like he could probably hold his own in a battle with the other two. He remains silent while standing behind the other two agents

"So gentlemen, what can we do for the uh CIA I assume?" Beckett asks

Agent Jefferson begins "We did not say we were with the CIA, detective Beckett. You have been issuing inquires into a company located in Chicago."

"Yes, Cyber War Software. What about it?"

"What is your interest in the company?"

"We are just following up on leads in a case. Why are you asking and why is your agency involved in my case? And who do you work for anyway?"

Agent Porter glances back to Agent Richardson then toward Castle "You are the mystery writer Richard Castle, aren't you?" then looking over to Beckett "And you are his character Nikki Heat?"

Castle answers "Yes to both questions. Now back to our question how is the 'AGENCY' you work for involved in the cases we are looking into? And answer detective Beckett's question, WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?"

"Why are you looking into cases in Las Vegas? Ms. Beckett you are not with the Las Vegas police."

"I am a New York police detective and I have two cases in the city involving victims somehow related to these other victims. Anyway you just gave me a link to all the victims in all these cases. You brought up Cyber War Software. So talk to us."

Agent Jefferson looks back to agent Richardson. Richardson gives a slight nod toward the other two agents.

"We are attached to a special unit connected to a branch of homeland security. We have been investigating possible subversive activities involving a government subcontractor."

"What kind of activities?" Castle questions

"There seems to be a leak involving this company. There is a possibility than an employee has been selling secrets to a foreign power relating to this contractors product."

Beckett asks the next question. "What type secrets can a gaming company have other than what new villain are they inventing in the next game?"

Agent Porter comments "Using the gaming as a basis, this contractor is involved in programs used for training of, shall we say special operations personnel"

"So where does this connect to what we are investigating? Beckett asks

The Cyber War Software Company, the same company that your victims have hacked into has a very sensitive contract with the government and gaining access to the company's servers could be very damaging."

"Did the hackers get into top secret files?" Becket asks

"Not that we have been able to determine. Yet. We are afraid that they were getting very close"

Castle questions "Does Monsters from the ID mean anything?"

Agent Jefferson looks back to Richardson who speaks for the very first time"Where did you hear that phrase?

"That's the name of the directories that were on our victims computers"

"Agent Richardson, this is worse than we anticipated" Jefferson tells the senior agent

"Yes, we need to go back and do some damage control. Mr. Castle. Ms. Beckett. I would ask that you keep this conversation and our visit here today completely confidential?"

"Yes, we understand" Kate tells the trio who are now walking toward the door. "But what about FBI agents Sorenson and Shaw? And also our team in New York and the local Vegas detectives? Can we tell them anything at all?"

Agent Jefferson answers "I suggest that you proceed with your murder investigation with the knowledge that you had before our visit. But do not disclose any information that we are involved. I think you can find your suspects without the release of any classified information"

Agent Grant comments"It is really nice to meet you Mr. Castle. I do enjoy your books. Ms. Beckett. I am looking forward to more escapades of Detective Heat"

"Also it is very nice to finally meet both of you" Agent Richardson says as he opens the door to leave. "I hope we can meet again one day under different circumstances"

Just as the three men leave the room and approach the elevator, the doors open and room service delivery appears. The three disappear into the elevator and the breakfast cart is brought into the room. After the server departs, Castle looks over to Beckett "well, that was an interesting way to start the day."

While Castle and Beckett have their breakfast, they are not real sure how to handle the new information. One side is under a vale of secrecy and the other side is proof of a connection to all eight victims. But it still does not answer who killed them and why.

Beckett finally breaks the silence"Castle, did any of those men look familiar to you?"

"No, not really, Why?"

"It's just that for some reason I felt like I had met Agent Richardson somewhere before. I just can't place him. If I didn't know better I could swear he looked like an older version of you"

Beckett lets out a gasp and drops her fork "Rick! He looked like he could have been you father"

Castle and Beckett are sitting in stunned silence before Rick finally says anything. "Kate, you don't think he WAS my father, do you?"

"Rick, he looked like he could be. He had the same chin, he had blue eyes. He was tall enough to be your dad. I don't know. What if he was?"

"Sofia said my dad was connected. She never said he was CIA. She just made it sound like he was."

"Castle, we need to solve this case and also try to locate whoever these men were. We might find you father this way"

Castle sits at the table looking off to the distance "Kate, I am not real sure I want to know my dad or even need to know him. What if this man is not my father, then I just got by hopes thrashed. Or what if he is my father? Is he the type man I was hoping him to be? What if he is a killer? An assassin? A murderer for hire?"

Beckett takes Rick's hand"Castle. We will follow this case. We will follow the clues. If we run into Agent Richardson again, then we will try to get your answers.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

After they finish breakfast they go to get dressed, Castle is ready and sitting at the table. While waiting for Beckett, he is looking at the case files. He feels there is still something he is missing in all of this. Beckett comes into the room "Hey, you getting anywhere?"

"Not really. I feel something is not adding up in all this. I wonder if there are more hackers that we don't know about. Someone out there is still alive but in the crosshairs of the killer."

"Also, we have not heard anymore form detectives Solis and Hamilton"

"I think we embarrassed them the other night. They may not want to ever talk to us again"

"Let me call them and see if we can compare notes. About the case that is!"

"Ok and I'll call Ryan and see if he can find out if there are more members of the hacker group that have not fallen victim to this killer"

Beckett dials the Vegas police "Detective Solis, this is Kate Beckett. Oh fine and you? We're great. We were wondering if there was any new information on the victim here at the hotel?" Beckett listens for a minute then "Great. Have you given this information to the FBI? Good. Let me call you back. My partners New York are looking for any more members of the hacker group. As soon as I hear something, I will let you know. Thanks"

Castle is getting off the phone with Kevin at the same time Beckett hangs up with Solis. "Ryan is checking on the hacker information with the tech guys. What did Solis say?"

"She said the victim was Victor Evans he is from Aurora Illinois. He was here with his girlfriend Charlotte Waters. There were going to get married tonight here in the hotel. They had reserved the hotel's wedding chapel. They had already paid for it and it had been decorated, flowers, wedding cake, minister hired, everything."

"That's terrible"

"Solis said he was killed with what looked like a railroad spike into his head."

"Where was he thrown form? The only thing above us is the Penthouse Level"

"Solis said the rooftop pool and party area is above here. Any hotel guest can access it with their room key."

"Did they check who used their key?"

"Yes. The victim's key was the only one used."

Castle looks over the files as Kate finishes her last cup of coffee. "Kate let's go downstairs and not think about this for a little while"

Beckett stands up and puts on her leather jacket and looking very much like Nikki Heat, the couple walk out of the room.

Castle and Beckett have a couple of hours to kill before the book signing in the Desert Ballroom. The manager had given then $100.00 in chips to use in the casino and Kate is ready to get started. Castle stands by as she spends her chips and then buys her more to play.

Rick has been here many times before. The house almost always wins and the player has little to no chance of ever getting ahead. But he is just more than happy to watch Kate play the games of chance. It was chance that she came into his life. It was just by chance that Tisdale picked Castle's books to mimic when he killed Allison. He could have picked the works of any mystery writer. But it was to Rick's books that he settled on.

Now years later, Rick is watching with delight as the woman he met 'by chance' tries her hand at a game of chance. First with the roulette table, then blackjack, and now she is sitting at a slot machine. She has had better luck here than the other two games she played. She was up a few dollars, then back down a few dollars. Looking at the machine Rick sees that she is down to 5 credits and she bets all five on this final spin. Rick looks away for a moment across the floor as Kate hits the spin button, but he is quickly drawn back when he hears the sound of a winner

The loud dinging of the bells and the flashing lights emanating from the machine in front of his girlfriend causes her to squeal with delight. Castle is happily surprised with the numbers appearing on the machine. Kate just won a $10,000.00 jackpot. Beckett jumps into Castle's arms. He is so glad to see his girlfriend happy and relaxed. For him, it is not a large amount of money, but it is for her, a million. Either way, he is happy.

Beckett gathers her winnings and they head out toward the ballroom wing of the hotel and to the final signing of the trip. Later tonight there will be a release party for the next book in the Nikki Heat series. Then tomorrow, it will be back to New York and work for her on Monday. Even with the fun and not so fun things, she has thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

As they are walking down thru the pre-function area they run into the hotel manager. "Mr. Castle, Ms. Beckett. How has your stay been so far?"

"Well, hello Shawn. Thanks for asking. We must admit that this stay has been fun and exciting" Castle looks at Kate and she smiles in agreement "I am sorry that we have to leave tomorrow. You never know what else interesting might happen if we could stay longer" Beckett gives Castle a little jab for that last comment.

Then Kate asks "Shawn. I understand that Charlotte Waters and Victor Evans were planning on getting married here tonight?"

"Yes, Ms. Beckett. That is correct. We are so sorry that this happened to him. It is really terrible."

"Tell me. Did the couple pay a lot of money for the wedding chapel and all the arrangements for tonight?"

"Yes, I am afraid that the room reservation was prepaid by them several months ago. The cake and flowers were from an outside caterer. I am planning on refunding the room expense, but the caterer's charges are beyond my control. Unfortunately, she will not be getting that money back, I'm afraid"

Beckett looks at the winnings in her hand "Will you give this to Ms. Waters and just tell her that you were able to get a refund from the caterer?"

"Ms. Beckett this is unexpected. Do you know the woman?"

"No. But I know how she feels. Losing someone you love dearly. This will not replace that loss, but it is one less thing for her to think about"

The manager is totally in awe of Kate's generous gift "I will see to it that she gets this money. Thank you so much"

Rick has been listening to this conversation without saying a word. When he finally speaks "I guess Nikki Heat is a softie after all. How can you constantly do things to make me love you more and more?" He sees tears of happiness in her eyes.

Kate tried her best to put her stern detective face back on

Looking into the ballroom adjacent to their current location, Castle asks "what is going on in this room?"

"Oh that is the US Packaging Association meeting. Vendors are showing off their packaging to perspective customers. Would you like to go in and look around?"

Castle replies "Yes, we would love to"

Kate has a questioning look on her face. "Castle, why are we going in here?"

"Kate. Look at the packaging on display on the corner booth"

"Castle! There's the weapons! All of them!"


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Castle and Beckett step up to the booth for "Southern Illinois Packaging". On their main display is an oversized poster showing the packaging for the "Gothic Warrior" video game that they produce for "Cyber War Software"

"Kate, what do you see on the box cover?"

"WEAPONS! All type of Medieval Weapons

"And what do they look like" as he points to the images of all the gruesome items on the poster

"They look like the wounds on our victims" pointing to the Mace "that is from our first victim. And the Flail is from out second victim! Castle, there is our connection to the software company."

"Right and the Horseman's Pick has a point like a railroad spike that detective Solis described."

"Castle, these are the weapons! All of the weapons we have been looking for!"

Behind the barrier they see a table containing, what appears to be the actual weapons used to create the images on the product box. They cross over the barrier to get a better look when the company's sale representative steps up.

"Excuse me this is a restricted area. You are not allowed behind the barrier"

Beckett introduces herself to the man "My name is Katherine Beckett. I am a New York police detective and I noticed your display. These weapons look like weapons that were used in two murders in New York."

"Well, detective, I'm Tom Morgan. I am the sales manager for Southern Illinois Packaging. And I am sorry, but no one is allowed near the display due to the nature of the display"

"I think we need to give this information to Vegas police and the FBI" Castle tells Beckett

While Beckett is talking to the salesman, Castle has picked up his phone and is calling detective Soils to suggest they come down to the hotel and look over the display. She agrees and tells Castle that she will call hotel security and have them stand by until she can arrive with a forensic team. She also tells Rick she will notify Sorenson about the discovery.

Beckett continues her conversation with the Mr. Morgan "these are real weapons, correct?"

"Yes. Why are you here asking about my display? What does it have to do with you again?"

"Mr. Castle and I are here for business and we noticed your display while we were passing by. Why do you have real weapons?"

"They are just for show."

"Where did you get them?"

"Actually, they belong to the software company we produce this packaging for. Mathew Morrison owner of Cyber War Software provided these from his private collection. We have been taking them around the country for about six months now."

"What cities have you been in during these last few months?"

"Well, we started here then, let me think…" Morgan then names each of the cities in order where murders occurred. "Finally just this last week we were in New York"

Beckett looks to Castle "I think we have our connection. Now! Who did it?" Beckett's phone rings. Caller id says Esposito "Hey Espo what do you have? Really?" Kate looks over at Morgan "Anyone else? No. OK. What else?" Kate listens a few minutes "That is interesting. I will talk to Castle about that one. Tell them to not run anything yet. Thanks. Yeah we found our murder weapons. We really did. Let me call you back in just a little bit."

Beckett pulls Castle away from the table "The tech guys have identified one more of the hackers. It's him" pointing to Tom "It appears he was the leader of the group. The files seem to indicate they were hacking into the main frame over at Cyber War software. But our tech guys are very disturbed by what the found"

"Disturbed? How? What?"

"It appears that Morgan and his group had broken thru to that secret directory about bringing out monsters from the ID. They said the program code was unlike anything they had ever seen before. It was not a computer language that they recognized. Like a new language. They are not real sure that they want to run the programs they found"

"Kate, after the visit this morning, I don't think they should"

"Me either"

The hotel security officer walks up "We are looking for Richard Castle and Kate Beckett"

"I am detective Beckett with NYPD. These items" pointing to the weapons "appear to be evidence in a case in my jurisdiction and LVPD jurisdiction." Detective Solis is responding with a forensics team to examine these items and Mr. Castle and myself have another appointment to be at"

"Yes, Detective Solis briefed us and she is on her way. You are free to leave and she said to tell you thanks and she will be in contact later."

"Also you might have someone keep an eye on Mr. Morgan. He might be in danger"

"We will keep an eye on him until she arrives. Where can we tell her you will be?"

Castle responds "we have a book signing in the Dessert Room just down the hall"

"I will let her know where to find you"

"Thank you" Beckett says as she and Castle turn to leave. Suddenly they see Morgan has grabbed on of the weapons from the table and is walking toward the security officer. Castle yells "Look Out!"

The security guard is well trained and reacts quickly and moves out of harms way before Morgan can connect with the club. Castle picks up a metal stanchion being used to support crowd control ropes and swings at Morgan just in time to stop another swipe from the crazed assailant. The security officer gains control of the club before he can swing again. Castle grabs one of Morgan's arms just as another two hotel security officers arrive and take control of the situation.

They place handcuffs on Morgan. Both on his hands and ankles.

"What was that?" Beckett asks first.

"I wish I knew." Castle responds.

As this happens just in time to see detectives Solis and Hamilton arrive at the scene and take command. "Mr. Castle Ms. Beckett, what is this?"

"Detective, we really have no idea. We were telling hotel security the information before we go to the other room when Morgan grabbed a weapon and started swinging." Beckett answers

"Well, It does look like trouble follows you two around" Solis comments

"Yes it does" Castle responds "And if you have everything in control, we are supposed to be signing books" Looking at his watch "right about now"

"Yes, you two go ahead. We will take care of all this mess you left us" Solis laughs "we know where to find you"

Rick takes a hold of Kate's hand and they walk back down the pre function area toward their ballroom. When they get close, they see Paula standing glaring down the corridor looking for her story teller. She is obviously getting very impatient. She is tapping her foot when she suddenly notices that they are holding hands.

"OH MY GOSH! Now I know why you changed the rooms. You two? Richard Castle! What am I going to do with you now?"


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

Another long line of book fans. This time Castle is finding he is not nearly as interesting to the fans as the beautiful Nikki Heat sitting next to him. Oh, he is still being asked for his signature, but more are asking for Kate's than he ever anticipated. But he is not jealous. Not one little bit. He wanted Kate. He wanted her with her flaws and he wanted her to be what this relationship has become. His partner in every way. His partner at the police station, his partner in his books, and his partner in life. He is now hoping his partner for the rest of his life.

Now he watches as she is asked for her autograph and her picture with the fans. The fans the character of Nikki Heat. He guesses if that entertainment reporter, Roger Evans, asks again he will still say that Nikki Heat is the love of his life.

The line draws down and the time approaches 3:00 and they wrap up the signing party. Paula finally speaks to Castle "So you two finally got your act together"

"Well Paula that sounded like you were expecting this?"

"Of course I was expecting this. I had twenty bucks on you two a year and a half ago. But I lost that. So do you know who won?"

"Won? Won what?"

"The betting pool they had going on you two. I think your mother had picked early this year. Lanie picked the end of last year. I don't know about Gates or Ryan and Esposito"

Beckett looks at Paula "GATES! She was in the pool?"

"Oh yeah! In fact she was betting you two were already a couple before she even came to the prescient. But we all convinced her you two had not…uh…. Shall we say done the deed?"

"Paula, I guess you putting us into separate rooms on separate floors was your way of proving one way or the other if we were dating?"

Paula just smiles, waves and as she is walking away "Supper time. You have early reservations in the Branding Iron at 4:00. So you better hurry. You have a real important book release party later.

Rick takes Kate's hand again as they walk to the restaurant. "All this time we were walking on eggshells around Gates and she knew or thought she knew" Castle muses

"That explains her little note on the flowers"

They enter the restaurant and sit down an order their meal. Actually something fairly light for the evening meal since there will be serving hors d'oeuvres at the party.

They are discussing the day's events when the see Detectives Soils and Hamilton step up to the table. Castle greets the duo "Good afternoon detectives how are you?"

"Very well. We just wanted to fill you in. The weapons you found were evidently used in the killings. Each weapon had someone's blood on them The blood types were matched to the victims in all the cases the FBI brought in including the two cases here and your two in New York "

Beckett questions "Since blood types are so common, you are going to have to wait for DNA for final evidence?"

"Actually the victim here at this hotel is very rare type AB- and we matched it to the wound track. So I think we have a slam dunk here. The rest we believe will fall into place."

"That is fantastic. So I guess when I get back to New York we will be able to close our cases as well. What does the suspect have to say about all this?"

"Of course he denies everything. He said he did not even know the other victims. Why would he kill them? You know, the usual denial, I didn't do it. Someone else did. You've got the wrong guy"

"Oh yes we hear that all the time." Well thank you for letting us know. We will be sure our department knows how much help LVPD was to us. And any time you come to the Big Apple call us. Castle and I will be happy to show you around"

"You've got it"

Then detective Hamilton speaks up "And congratulations you two. We understand that your courtship has been a long and interesting one. Good by"

Castle smiles "Thank you"

"Castle I feel for the suspect. I have a feeling that there was something in that software that messed his brain up and he really did not know what he did"

"I think from the conversation we had with the government agents that is exactly what happened"

Moments after their dinner arrives they look up to see two of the three federal agents standing at the table.

"Agent Jefferson. Agent Porter" Beckett speaks up "Nice to see you again"

"Good evening Ms. Beckett Mr. Castle. We see you settled your cases without involving any release of sensitive information"

"Well the files evidently were compromised but right now they are only in the hands of the New York police technical investigation squad"

"Actually they have already been retrieved and the systems in your department have been scrubbed of any remnants of the files. Can you tell me if any members of your department tried to actually RUN the program?"

"No we told them not to. They were very disturbed by what they saw in the code. So they approached with extreme caution"

"That is very wise on your part. As long as no one actually ran the program. They will be fine."

Beckett asks "What about Mr. Morgan? He evidently was affected by whatever was in that software and he really did not consciously do anything"

"We cannot guarantee there will not be any prosecution, but he will be found mentally not responsible for his actions and treated for the disorder"

"That is better than convicting him of murder and sentencing him to punishment when he did not deliberately commit the crime"

"Yes, but he is guilty of hacking. But if we get him well, he might become an asset."

"True. Thank you for helping him" Beckett states

"We must go now. So on behalf of our unit, we want to than you and Mr. Rogers…er. Mr. Castle for your help. Good day to you both" The two agents turn and leave

"Kate. That was another unusual meeting. I wonder why Agent Richardson was not with them….WAIT A MINUTE! He called me Rogers then corrected himself"

Castle jumps up and goes out the door to the corridor. Neither man can be found. They have completely disappeared. He returns to his table and sits for a moment in silence

"Kate, very few people know my given name was Richard Alexander Rogers. So how did they know?"

"Rick! Do you remember Agent Richardson's full name? Alexander Richardson"


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

Kate Beckett is preparing herself to make a grand entrance to the Nikki Heat release party. She has had her hair fixed and her nails done by the hotel's in room salon staff. Paying to have someone else do her hair and her nails is something she does not have done. That is just an expense that she would prefer not to pay. But for tonight, Richard Castle insisted that she be pampered in every way possible.

Now she is standing in the hotel suite's dressing area looking at THAT DRESS. She is really going to wear this? This is the type dress you see in the magazines. The type dress that only movie stars wear on the Red Carpet. Well, tonight, Katherine Beckett is going to be that star on the Red Carpet.

While Kate dresses, Richard Castle is waiting patiently in the sitting area of their suite. He paces a few minutes, and then he nervously sits a few minutes. Then he paces again. She is not late. He just can't stand the suspense of wanting to see her.

Finally, after what seems to be forever, the door opens and…

Standing in the light is Katherine Beckett AKA Nikki Heat. What he sees before him is the reason he chose the name "Heat" for his character. The warmth he feels surging thru his veins is not being caused by the temperature of the outside air. It is being caused by the temperature generated by the absolutely beautiful woman who has just entered the room and has taken his breath away.

With her hair done in an over the shoulder brad. Minimal makeup with just the slightest hint of lipstick creating a look of contentment from this young vibrant woman who has accepted him as her soul mate. He has to get a grip on himself. He would hate to smear her makeup before they even leave the room.

Then there is the dress. Almost sheer Chiffon. The color is best described as Cream. The color causes her olive complexion to simply pop. The silk material actually has threads of pure silver woven into the fabric so that it sparkles in the light bringing attention to the person wearing it. As if she needed any more attention. Halter top with a deep V bodice in the front joined with a diamond crusted broach. Low V in the back accentuating her beautiful skin. Small gathered sash. The skirt just to the knee in the back, above the knee in front drawing attention to her legs. Those long, slender, firm legs. How can any woman have legs like those? Ending in 4" heels making her even taller.

Castle remembers the very first time Kate revealed her legs to him. A book reading that he almost couldn't finish because of them. But it was worth the distraction. And even now, she still distracts him.

Now all Richard Castle can do is gasp "WOW!"

"You like it?" as she takes a spin

"Yeah!" How could he not

"Me Too"

"I need to try to start breathing again" Richard Castle extends his arm to the lovely lady and they leave to make their appearance at the party that really will honor her as much as it honors the book.

As they exit the elevator on the ballroom level, Castle can see that Beckett is causing quite a distraction to the other men in the corridor. Even several of the women are looking at her. Castle is not sure if it is jealousy or envy. Either way he smiles at each and every person he passes.

As they are walking toward the ballroom, they pass by the hotel's wedding chapel. The doors are closed and there is a sign on a pedestal that reads "RESERVED" then below "Congratulations Charlotte Waters & Victor Evans"

"Rick, can we stop here just a minute?"

"Is something wrong?"

"No. I just wanted to stop and pay my respects to the memories that were supposed to have begun here tonight"

Castle looks at Kate "You really are a softie, aren't you? You want me to wait outside?"

"I want you with me"

Castle opens the door and Kate enters the room. The lights are dim with a small spot light flooding the Alter. The flowers and candle operas are all in place waiting for the happy couple to come down the aisle and make a promise to one another for life. Adjacent to the chapel is the reception area. It is set up with a three tier bride's cake and a smaller groom's cake. Punch bowl. Champagne bottle awaiting a toast. Serving dishes waiting to be used. All the trimmings that were set up for a celebration of two people in love.

A tear appears in Beckett's eye. "Makes you think of all the opportunities they will never have, doesn't it?

"Yes, Kate it does" Castle looks deeply into Kate's eyes. "Kate. I don't want to miss those opportunities"

"Me either"

* * *

The press is there taking pictures of the crowd and the chatter of all the guests creates a din of noise in the ballroom. There are large posters of the cover to the newest book. On the central table, there are copies of the book set up on display. Tables around the room containing light canapés and an open bar along the outside wall. Several of the hotel guests were invited to attend this party and many did take advantage of the invitation even though they had not read any of Castle's books or even knew who he was, they were drawn in by the promise of free drinks. The room is quite full of people.

Paula is mingling with the guests when she hears someone yell "WOW! Look at Nikki Heat!" She turns toward the door and she is even taken back herself as she sees Castle enter with Kate on his arm. She now fully understands why this man is so in love.

Camera strobe lights flash as the happy pair enter the room.

"Hello you two" Paula greets the couple "Kate, you look amazing. Where did you get that dress?"

"Rick got it from a friend of his in New York"

"Well, Rick. You better introduce me to your friend. I want one of these dresses next time. You know how I hate to be outdone. But Wow. Kate, No one will outdo you tonight"

"Thank you Paula"

Castle looks around and sees the hotel manager appear at the main door "Will you ladies excuse me for one moment?" Castle steps up to the manager "Shawn excellent party. This is fantastic. Thank you"

"Thank you Mr. Castle. I am so happy that the accommodations turned out to your satisfaction. Is there anything else I can do to make sure the rest of your stay is perfect?"

"Actually there is" Castle and Shawn step outside into the corridor and have a private conversation


	21. Chapter 21

**To all my readers THANK YOU ! THANK YOU ! THANK YOU !**  
**The reviews you all posted made this story fun and easy to write**  
**This is the final chapter of this piece of fiction. You can use your own imagination**  
**as to what happens when they arrive back in NY. I wouldn't want to be**  
**either one of them when they get home. **

**Until next time**

* * *

CHAPTER 21

The manager shakes his head in affirmation of whatever Castle asked of him. "Mr. Castle everything will be taken care of"

"Thank you Shawn" Castle responds as he returns to the ballroom. He has to look around to find his lady.

Beckett has been cornered by the local book club president. She is asking Kate about how much of the Nikki Heat stories are based on actual cases from the police files And of course how much of the personal activities of Jamison Rook and Nikki Heat are from their own lives.

"Well, much of the stories Castle has written are grounded in actual crime stories. He has a very vivid imagination when it comes to the off duty escapades of the main characters" Kate responds while smiling over toward Rick.

Castle comes up to Kate just in time to save her from a more detailed question concerning her relationship with Castle away from work.

"Please may I steel my muse for just a few minutes?"

"Thanks Rick. I was afraid that the questions were getting ready to become a little more personal that I was willing to answer"

"Not a problem. Actually Paula said that the reporter from LVTV is around here and wanted to meet you" Castle is looking around for him "but he must have been called away. But he'll be back, I guarantee it"

"That's OK. Castle. I could use the break. I have to say that this trip has been an experience that I will never forget."

"I suppose not. Let's see now. Ex girlfriend flight attendant, room mix up. Dead bodies. Spies. Nikki Heat look alike. Killers with clubs. Kate I don't think I could have written anything better. And you know I am really sad that after tonight this all ends"

Beckett smiles then she gets a gleam in her eye "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo"

Rick has a very strange look on his face "What?"

"Oh. Nothing"

"Kate, that is not nothing. What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember the dress you bought for me to wear to the charity ball the first time you and I went undercover?"

"Of course I do. You were ravishing. Not as ravishing as tonight but close"

"The card you sent with the box said Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo and I knew it was from you. This is from Cinderella. I am looking at all this" as Kate waves her arms around "and I know that at exactly midnight my carriage will turn back into a police cruiser. The horses will become my fellow detectives and this dress will vanish and I will be back in civilian clothes and in my squad car."

Castle a little taken back by what she just said. He is just contemplating his answer to her when Roger Evans, the reporter from LVTV interrupts.

"Mr. Castle, I am so glad to catch back up with you."

"Oh, Hello Roger" Castle realizes that not only has the reporter appeared out of nowhere, but he has a cameraman and camera pointed at him and Kate.

"This lovely lady must be detective Beckett?"

"Yes, Roger this is my muse Katherine Beckett"

"It is great to meet you Ms. Beckett. So Rick, I must apologize over my little surprise with Natalie Rhodes the other day. I didn't realize that you really did have a real life Nikki Heat in this marvelous creature"

"Yes, Roger. I will tell you and everyone out there that this woman is the love I have searched for all my life"

Kate is looking at Castle with a big question mark on her face. What is he doing?

Rick looks into her eyes "I don't want you and me to be that missed opportunity we talked about earlier. We almost lost what we have. I don't want to take another chance"

Rick turns to Beckett and gets down on one knee.

Beckett covers her mouth and tears start to appear in her eyes

"Katherine Beckett. I know you were probably hoping for more romantic surroundings, but. Will you make me the happiest man on earth and become my wife?"

She chokes the answer out thru her tears "YES! YES! YES!"

Rick looks at the entertainment reporter. "Did you get your scoop?

Castle stands up and wraps his arms around Beckett and the room breaks out in applause.

He pulls back smiling into her face "I don't want to wait.

"What do you mean? How? What?"

"Well. The bride normally pays for the wedding. And you already have. The chapel is ready. A reception room is ready. I arranged for a minister to be here. Let's invite everyone to join us just down the hall."

* * *

In a few minutes Kate finds herself standing at the Alter of the chapel holding hands with her one and done. She is not real sure what she said. But neither is he. She thinks they promised to love, honor, protect and all that other stuff with each other. But after all the things they have already been thru together just being able to get here, these promises are going to be easy to keep.

The television reporter recorded the entire ceremony so these two can have proof they really did it. Also to show everyone back in the city. Oh they are going to be in such trouble for doing this, but Castle promised Beckett...uh! Excuse me Mrs. Castle that they will repeat the marriage ceremony with all their friends and family. But they know this way they are not missing an opportunity together.

After the ceremony they go into the reception hall next door. They have cake, toast each other, and then mingle with all the guests. Well, almost all the guests.

As the crowd begins to thin out, Paula comes up to them "Well Rick. You never cease to amaze and surprise me. Do you?"

"I try to keep everyone on their toes"

"Oh did. I tell you there was one of the guests that seemed to know you personally said he had to leave early but he left this" Paula gives Rick an envelope

Castle takes the envelope from Paula and opens it. Inside is a wedding card offering congratulations to Rick and Kate.

Handwritten at the bottom

"I am so pleased with your selection, son. I know you two will be very happy. Take care of her. She is special in more ways than you will ever know"

Signed Alexander Richardson

PS Tell your mother hello for me


End file.
